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A Share Thing
By DENNIS C. WAY
In recent years, picking a winner in the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League was like figuring out what to do when it rained.
When the drops began to fall, you put up an umbrella.
When the Perky League season began, you’d pick Norristown, then draw straws to choose Norristown’s opponent in the finals.
But after Plymouth doused Norristown’s parade in last season’s playoff semifinals and Collegeville won its second league crown in the last four years, that annual death-and-taxes Norristown championship was suddenly not considered a certainty. Parity comes to the Perky?
Hardly. But as the 2007 season begins, it’s safe to say there are at least four teams that have a legitimate shot at winning it all, and a couple of others that will rattle a few windows, too.
No one, repeat, no one is discounting the champion Black Sox or the A’s as title contenders.
”I still think Norristown and Collegeville are the teams to beat,“ said Souderton manager Rick Nasta.
”It’s still between Collegeville and Norristown, in my opinion,“ added Lansdale skipper Christian Militello.
In fact, the only clubs not expecting to see either the Sox or A’s, or both, in the finals this year may be the Sox and A’s.
”There’s no way we can be considered the favorites,“ said new Norristown co-manager Mark Brockell.
”No one thinks we’re the team to beat,“ said Collegeville manager Bob Letter. ”Most of the league doesn’t see it that way.“
Regardless of the prognostications, the Perky League season is no longer a case of opening an umbrella.
And there’s no certainty which team will reign.
NORRISTOWN
A week or two after Norristown’s season ended last August, no one knew what to expect for this year. Rumors were more numerous than foul balls lost in the woods at Latshaw/McCarthy Field. Norristown was folding. All of the A’s players were headed elsewhere. Long-time team owner Tony Cianciulli was hanging it up. Latshaw/McCarthy was being turned into an experimental eggplant farm. If you listened long enough, you could hear any theory you wanted to hear. But the A’s are very much alive, still owned by Cianciulli and in the hands of on-the-field co-manager Mark Brockell and off-the-field co-manager Matt Altieri. Some of the A’s, like long-time infielder Frank Monastero and catcher Rob Reed, will not return. Eric Fisher will only be used to pitch. Even long-time manager and Perky League Hall of Famer Vince Elsier will be around, but only for tournaments. As for the day-in, day-out A’s, there will be changes. The core, including Joe D’Orazio, Matt Sperling (.304), Mark Roth (.406), Altieri (.362) and Brockell (league-best .447, league-beset 35 RBIs) will still be hammering opposition pitching. But the left side of the infield will be turned over to Sean Meister, Plymouth Whitemarsh shortstop Shane Frangiosa and PW alum Steve Develin. Brian Mulhern moves behind the plate to replace Reed. Pitching holdovers Mike Zwanch, Brian Stumpf and Rob Kell will be joined by a wealth of new arms, some who’ve played pro ball.
PLYMOUTH
The Pirates knocked out the A’s a year ago and very nearly snared the franchise’s first Perky crown. And with the same basic cast, plus some impressive new arms, it’s likely they’ll be knocking on the door once again. Those arms include La Salle product Dan Waters, Penn Charter alum Mark Adzick and Lehigh’s Joe Matteo, who will join the established duo of Brandon Bruno (4-4, 1.90 ERA) and Sean Kroszner (2-2, 1.50). The Bucs were sixth in the league in hitting last season (.250) and will need to improve in that area. One of the team’s top bats, Andrew DeGaetano (.354) will not return. But infielders Tyler Stampone (.377, league-best 3 triples) and Harry Ley (.288) do, along with catcher Mike Dertouzos (.321).
Newcomer Kevin Dougher should help, along with the return of Dan Kelly, fresh off a record-setting career at Lebanon Valley.
COLLEGEVILLE
Collegeville may hold the unofficial league record for most titles won under a different name. The team has won as the Colonels, the Collegians, the White Sox and Black Sox. And if the club chose a different moniker for this year, they could add another. The club is essentially the same one that slipped past Plymouth in the finals last year — with a couple of exceptions. Brian Rorick is out after undergoing surgery and Joe Yeager is back after having his knee scoped. With the various college players returning to the Sox at various times, all manager Bob Letter looks to do is remain in the league’s upper half until the roster is set near the beginning of June. ”We never know what our roster looks like until the end of May,“ Letter said. But when the roster is complete, look for Stan Haraczka (.317), Dan Brady (.480) and Yeager (.379) to handle most of the offense, while Derek Major (6-2, 0.68) and Jared Lenko (1-2, 1.87) hold down the mound chores. ”We’ll be lucky to finish fourth,“ said Letter in his familiar preseason proclamation. ”We never get any respect.“
LANSDALE
The Tigers broke through into the Perky’s upper crust last year, taking eventual champ Collegeville to five games in the playoff semis. And with some key additions, Lansdale could go even further this year. Offensively, the club placed four players among the league’s top 11 hitters, and all four — Andrew Miller (.443), catalyst Jon McGlone (.370, league-best 27 runs, league-best eight doubles, league-best 14 steals), Tim Myers (.324) and Will Eagles (.317, 23 RBIs) — return. Former Trooper batting champ Kevin McCarthy joins that formidable group. First-year pitchers are Christopher Dock and University of Missouri stud Greg Folgia, former North Penn standout Greg Ball and Widener and former Spring-Ford standout Walt Albright. They will join holdovers Steve Cole (5-2, 2.93), Jon Mueller (4-0, 0.31) and Aaron Markowitz (5-2, 0.95) to give the Tigers a loaded staff. ”We’re still a very young team,“ said Tigers manager Christian Militello. ”We got a little lucky last year. But on paper, it looks good this season.“
In recent years, picking a winner in the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League was like figuring out what to do when it rained.
When the drops began to fall, you put up an umbrella.
When the Perky League season began, you’d pick Norristown, then draw straws to choose Norristown’s opponent in the finals.
But after Plymouth doused Norristown’s parade in last season’s playoff semifinals and Collegeville won its second league crown in the last four years, that annual death-and-taxes Norristown championship was suddenly not considered a certainty. Parity comes to the Perky?
Hardly. But as the 2007 season begins, it’s safe to say there are at least four teams that have a legitimate shot at winning it all, and a couple of others that will rattle a few windows, too.
No one, repeat, no one is discounting the champion Black Sox or the A’s as title contenders.
”I still think Norristown and Collegeville are the teams to beat,“ said Souderton manager Rick Nasta.
”It’s still between Collegeville and Norristown, in my opinion,“ added Lansdale skipper Christian Militello.
In fact, the only clubs not expecting to see either the Sox or A’s, or both, in the finals this year may be the Sox and A’s.
”There’s no way we can be considered the favorites,“ said new Norristown co-manager Mark Brockell.
”No one thinks we’re the team to beat,“ said Collegeville manager Bob Letter. ”Most of the league doesn’t see it that way.“
Regardless of the prognostications, the Perky League season is no longer a case of opening an umbrella.
And there’s no certainty which team will reign.
NORRISTOWN
A week or two after Norristown’s season ended last August, no one knew what to expect for this year. Rumors were more numerous than foul balls lost in the woods at Latshaw/McCarthy Field. Norristown was folding. All of the A’s players were headed elsewhere. Long-time team owner Tony Cianciulli was hanging it up. Latshaw/McCarthy was being turned into an experimental eggplant farm. If you listened long enough, you could hear any theory you wanted to hear. But the A’s are very much alive, still owned by Cianciulli and in the hands of on-the-field co-manager Mark Brockell and off-the-field co-manager Matt Altieri. Some of the A’s, like long-time infielder Frank Monastero and catcher Rob Reed, will not return. Eric Fisher will only be used to pitch. Even long-time manager and Perky League Hall of Famer Vince Elsier will be around, but only for tournaments. As for the day-in, day-out A’s, there will be changes. The core, including Joe D’Orazio, Matt Sperling (.304), Mark Roth (.406), Altieri (.362) and Brockell (league-best .447, league-beset 35 RBIs) will still be hammering opposition pitching. But the left side of the infield will be turned over to Sean Meister, Plymouth Whitemarsh shortstop Shane Frangiosa and PW alum Steve Develin. Brian Mulhern moves behind the plate to replace Reed. Pitching holdovers Mike Zwanch, Brian Stumpf and Rob Kell will be joined by a wealth of new arms, some who’ve played pro ball.
PLYMOUTH
The Pirates knocked out the A’s a year ago and very nearly snared the franchise’s first Perky crown. And with the same basic cast, plus some impressive new arms, it’s likely they’ll be knocking on the door once again. Those arms include La Salle product Dan Waters, Penn Charter alum Mark Adzick and Lehigh’s Joe Matteo, who will join the established duo of Brandon Bruno (4-4, 1.90 ERA) and Sean Kroszner (2-2, 1.50). The Bucs were sixth in the league in hitting last season (.250) and will need to improve in that area. One of the team’s top bats, Andrew DeGaetano (.354) will not return. But infielders Tyler Stampone (.377, league-best 3 triples) and Harry Ley (.288) do, along with catcher Mike Dertouzos (.321).
Newcomer Kevin Dougher should help, along with the return of Dan Kelly, fresh off a record-setting career at Lebanon Valley.
COLLEGEVILLE
Collegeville may hold the unofficial league record for most titles won under a different name. The team has won as the Colonels, the Collegians, the White Sox and Black Sox. And if the club chose a different moniker for this year, they could add another. The club is essentially the same one that slipped past Plymouth in the finals last year — with a couple of exceptions. Brian Rorick is out after undergoing surgery and Joe Yeager is back after having his knee scoped. With the various college players returning to the Sox at various times, all manager Bob Letter looks to do is remain in the league’s upper half until the roster is set near the beginning of June. ”We never know what our roster looks like until the end of May,“ Letter said. But when the roster is complete, look for Stan Haraczka (.317), Dan Brady (.480) and Yeager (.379) to handle most of the offense, while Derek Major (6-2, 0.68) and Jared Lenko (1-2, 1.87) hold down the mound chores. ”We’ll be lucky to finish fourth,“ said Letter in his familiar preseason proclamation. ”We never get any respect.“
LANSDALE
The Tigers broke through into the Perky’s upper crust last year, taking eventual champ Collegeville to five games in the playoff semis. And with some key additions, Lansdale could go even further this year. Offensively, the club placed four players among the league’s top 11 hitters, and all four — Andrew Miller (.443), catalyst Jon McGlone (.370, league-best 27 runs, league-best eight doubles, league-best 14 steals), Tim Myers (.324) and Will Eagles (.317, 23 RBIs) — return. Former Trooper batting champ Kevin McCarthy joins that formidable group. First-year pitchers are Christopher Dock and University of Missouri stud Greg Folgia, former North Penn standout Greg Ball and Widener and former Spring-Ford standout Walt Albright. They will join holdovers Steve Cole (5-2, 2.93), Jon Mueller (4-0, 0.31) and Aaron Markowitz (5-2, 0.95) to give the Tigers a loaded staff. ”We’re still a very young team,“ said Tigers manager Christian Militello. ”We got a little lucky last year. But on paper, it looks good this season.“
Perky League semifinals preview
By DENNIS C. WAY
The giddiness, euphoria and utter disbelief of the first round of this year’s Perkiomen Valley Twilight League playoffs are now a part of history.
And now, as the semifinal round begins, it’s question time.
Question one: Can Ambler do it again?
Can the upstart Rebels, fresh off what may be the biggest upset in league playoff history now claim prohibitive favorite No. 2? Can Ambler knock out Norristown?
History suggests otherwise, but what did history dictate about the first round?
Question two: Will the magic of Ambler’s stunning quarterfinal-round upset of Plymouth obscure the other semifinal matchup between third-seeded Collegeville and fourth-seeded Lansdale, which could very well be a five-game knee-buckler?
Both clubs dispatched their quarterfinal-round foes in three quick games, and should have everything in place for a rematch of last season’s five-game showdown, won by Collegeville.
Dub this year’s semis, The Magic and the Madness.
And here’s how the two series break down:
(2) NORRISTOWN vs. (8) AMBLER
To say the A’s expected to be playing the league’s No. 8 seed for the right to make their 11th trip to the finals in the last 12 years would be akin to saying they were in the process of retrieving every baseball hit into Stony Creek.
Like everyone else, Norristown was stunned by the Rebels’ heroics, and now must guard against overlooking Cinderella.
”No one saw that coming, everyone is in shock,“ said A’s center fielder/co-manager Matt Altieri. ”This is the time to be playing your best baseball, and I guess they’re doing that now.“
Ambler’s offense is as unpredictable as the weather. It’s a scrappy club that will do literally anything and everything to pressure a defense and score a run.
Against Plymouth the Rebels stole bases when down seven runs. They squeezed on three straight pitches, they squeezed down five runs.
”We’ve seen them do those things, so hopefully nothing will shock us,“ Altieri said. ”We have to play smarter than they do.“
The Rebels spread the wealth. Chris Murray is a speedster with some pop, Corey Broderick is an extra-base threat and a whiz at shortstop.
Veteran Scott Young is the power threat.
But while everyone has a hand in producing runs, it’s the pressure the Rebs apply to a defense that may be their biggest weapon.
In the Plymouth series, Ambler scored on a wild pitch on a squeeze attempt and an errant pickoff throw.
Pitchers Chris Frankenfield, Rich Hunter, Matt Fortson and Young, who became the team’s closer, all sparkled in the quarterfinals. None are fireballers, but their mix of junk and chutzpah kept the Pirates off-balance.
The Norristown team Ambler will face is certainly not on a par with the club that took on and defeated all comers in the early part of this decade.
But they are still the A’s.
They may not put up as many crooked numbers on the scoreboard, and they may be susceptible to a defensive miscue or two, but they remain a team capable of winning games before they step on the field.
Offensively, Norristown specializes in the big inning. A five-spot here, a four-spot there and you’re chasing nine runs.
Altieri is still the league’s best leadoff man, and he and Matt Sperling set the table for boppers Joe D’Orazio, Mark Roth and Mark Brockell.
Catcher Brian Mulhern, playing with a broken bone in his hand, was a force against Harleysville in the quarters.
Defensively, the glove of shortstop Sean Meister is the best around and the reappearance of Eric Fisher at third has solidified the left side of the infield.
The A’s pitching rotation is five deep, with Sperling, Mike Zwanch, Brian Stumpf, Tom Bloom and Peter Buck all potential stoppers.
”It would have been easier to overlook Ambler if they didn’t beat Plymouth,“ Altieri said. ”We know we have more talent than they do, but Plymouth did, too.
”I guess that’s why you play the games.“
Fun Facts: Norristown’s Roth is hitting .875 (7-for-8) against Ambler this year. Amber’s Murray is hitting .429 (3-for-7) against Norristown.
Season series: Norristown won season series, 3-0 (11-2, 9-3, 4-0)
Prediction: A’s in three.
The giddiness, euphoria and utter disbelief of the first round of this year’s Perkiomen Valley Twilight League playoffs are now a part of history.
And now, as the semifinal round begins, it’s question time.
Question one: Can Ambler do it again?
Can the upstart Rebels, fresh off what may be the biggest upset in league playoff history now claim prohibitive favorite No. 2? Can Ambler knock out Norristown?
History suggests otherwise, but what did history dictate about the first round?
Question two: Will the magic of Ambler’s stunning quarterfinal-round upset of Plymouth obscure the other semifinal matchup between third-seeded Collegeville and fourth-seeded Lansdale, which could very well be a five-game knee-buckler?
Both clubs dispatched their quarterfinal-round foes in three quick games, and should have everything in place for a rematch of last season’s five-game showdown, won by Collegeville.
Dub this year’s semis, The Magic and the Madness.
And here’s how the two series break down:
(2) NORRISTOWN vs. (8) AMBLER
To say the A’s expected to be playing the league’s No. 8 seed for the right to make their 11th trip to the finals in the last 12 years would be akin to saying they were in the process of retrieving every baseball hit into Stony Creek.
Like everyone else, Norristown was stunned by the Rebels’ heroics, and now must guard against overlooking Cinderella.
”No one saw that coming, everyone is in shock,“ said A’s center fielder/co-manager Matt Altieri. ”This is the time to be playing your best baseball, and I guess they’re doing that now.“
Ambler’s offense is as unpredictable as the weather. It’s a scrappy club that will do literally anything and everything to pressure a defense and score a run.
Against Plymouth the Rebels stole bases when down seven runs. They squeezed on three straight pitches, they squeezed down five runs.
”We’ve seen them do those things, so hopefully nothing will shock us,“ Altieri said. ”We have to play smarter than they do.“
The Rebels spread the wealth. Chris Murray is a speedster with some pop, Corey Broderick is an extra-base threat and a whiz at shortstop.
Veteran Scott Young is the power threat.
But while everyone has a hand in producing runs, it’s the pressure the Rebs apply to a defense that may be their biggest weapon.
In the Plymouth series, Ambler scored on a wild pitch on a squeeze attempt and an errant pickoff throw.
Pitchers Chris Frankenfield, Rich Hunter, Matt Fortson and Young, who became the team’s closer, all sparkled in the quarterfinals. None are fireballers, but their mix of junk and chutzpah kept the Pirates off-balance.
The Norristown team Ambler will face is certainly not on a par with the club that took on and defeated all comers in the early part of this decade.
But they are still the A’s.
They may not put up as many crooked numbers on the scoreboard, and they may be susceptible to a defensive miscue or two, but they remain a team capable of winning games before they step on the field.
Offensively, Norristown specializes in the big inning. A five-spot here, a four-spot there and you’re chasing nine runs.
Altieri is still the league’s best leadoff man, and he and Matt Sperling set the table for boppers Joe D’Orazio, Mark Roth and Mark Brockell.
Catcher Brian Mulhern, playing with a broken bone in his hand, was a force against Harleysville in the quarters.
Defensively, the glove of shortstop Sean Meister is the best around and the reappearance of Eric Fisher at third has solidified the left side of the infield.
The A’s pitching rotation is five deep, with Sperling, Mike Zwanch, Brian Stumpf, Tom Bloom and Peter Buck all potential stoppers.
”It would have been easier to overlook Ambler if they didn’t beat Plymouth,“ Altieri said. ”We know we have more talent than they do, but Plymouth did, too.
”I guess that’s why you play the games.“
Fun Facts: Norristown’s Roth is hitting .875 (7-for-8) against Ambler this year. Amber’s Murray is hitting .429 (3-for-7) against Norristown.
Season series: Norristown won season series, 3-0 (11-2, 9-3, 4-0)
Prediction: A’s in three.
Rumored retirement of Norristown's core didn't happen
Everyone's favorite heroes/villains, otherwise known as the Norristown A's, were supposed to finally begin the process of fading from the role of odds-on favorites.
When Hall of Fame manager Vince Elsier closed out his run as A's manager a year ago and headed for the sunny climes of Florida, he was supposed to lead a mass exodus of A's to the world of street clothes and memories.
Long-time A's, players such as Frank Monastero, Mark Brockell, Bob Altieri and others were supposed to call it a day, leaving Norristown to chase the league crown rather than have it placed on its head before the first pitch was thrown.
So much for suppositions.
When the A's take the field to pursue their 10th league title in 11 years, a week later than the rest of the league, the changes in personnel will number about two, and those will be additions.
"It will be the same guys, everyone's coming back," said Norristown outfielder Matt Altieri, who will now share the managerial chores with infielder Eric Fisher.
"I didn't think Brock would be back. I thought Frank might hang 'em up. But everybody's here, and I didn't have to talk anybody into anything."
The loss of Elsier will be felt, but apparently a lot less than anyone expected.
"Vince Who?" Altieri deadpanned. "Hey, we've got guys who know what they're doing. A lot of them are coaches somewhere else.
"Right now our biggest problem is finding a third-base coach. No one wants to volunteer to do it."
That means the league will once again be facing a club that hit a whopping .404 a year ago while pitching to a 0.80 ERA.
Brockell, Matt Altieri, Matt Sperling, Monastero, Fisher and Joe D'Orazio held down the leagues's top six places in hitting last season, while pitchers Brian Stumpf, Bill Zalewski and Mike Zwanch combined to win 17 games.
All return, along with Mark Roth (.364), Rob Reed (.311) and newcomer Steve Develin, a young hurler (and Plymouth Whitemarsh grad) with Division One stuff.
Will Elsier be missed? Certainly not by league umpires.
Is Norristown still the team to beat? It sure looks that way.
As for the week delay at the outset of the year, Matt Altieri is getting married May 15.
And the rest of the Perky League:
Plymouth - The Pirates were the lone team to beat Norristown a year ago. But that came in the championship finals, won by the A's in four games. Plymouth's goal is to unseat the A's.
And the Pirates are built to do it.
Some of the Bucs' key personnel from a season ago - outfielders Dan Kelly and Bob Filler, catcher Jason Hartley and pitchers Josiah Platchek, Nate Yeagle and Scott Forster - are not rostered.
But the league's home run champ, Dennis Burge (.306, 4 HRs) and infielders John Rickards (.345) Harry Ley (15 RBIs) are, along with pitching newcomers Ryan Wendler (Villanova) and Tim Foulkrod (Temple).
Mike Dertouzos (La Salle), Sean Barksdale and Ryan Nanni should also upgrade the offense.
This is not the team that went to the finals a year ago. But it might be better.
Souderton - According to Warriors manager Rick Nasta, Souderton will boast "the same core, with a few additions," which means the club should again be in the championship mix.
Top batsmen Tony DeLude (.375, 15 RBIs), Justin Cooper (.364, 2 HRs, 17 RBIs) and MC Bertolino (.344) return as do pitchers Jordan Nyce (5-3, 1.71 ERA) and Jon Squires (4-1, 0.95).
A major question mark is the availability of southpaw pitcher Ryan Hoagey, who may be hamstrung by work commitments. But newcomers Jason Leo, Matt Lavin and Steve Vassalotti should fill the void.
"We should be competitive again," Nasta said.
There's no reason to think otherwise.
Collegeville - The Black Sox may find themselves right back in the midst of the title hunt thanks to a number of top-flight additions to the lineup.
A large chunk of the Temple offense is now quartered in Collegeville, with Kennedy-Kenrick grad Lenny Del Grippo (2nd on the Owls in RBIs), Dan Brady (The Owls' leader in home runs and RBIs) and Devon Swope all joining the Sox.
Throw in stalwarts Stan Haraczka (.349, 16 RBIs), Jason Adamek (.310), Ryan Hatfield and Ian Hauze (.304) and Collegeville should hit with anyone.
Jared Lenko (3-0, 0.26), Joe Raniszewski and Derek Major head up the pitching staff.
Long-time Sox Tom Szilli and Pat Krouse are semi-retired and will only play in an emergency.
"We'll be lucky to finish fourth," said Collegeville manager Bob Letter.
Don't bet on it.
Harleysville - The Storm Hornets' Achilles heel over the past few seasons has been pitching.
H-ville lost one of its best this year with Jim Farrell not returning to the team. But former Hornets Matt Powell and Michael Coron return to the mound this year. And along with holdovers Harley Nager (6-3, 2.27) and Chris Hamilton give the team a pretty solid staff.
Catcher Matt Lafferty, shortstop Michael Weckenman (who could also close) and outfielder Shawn Clark (from Nor-Gwyn) are newcomers who should all contribute.
Co-manager Bill McCann (.329, 13 RBIs), Tim Quigley (.323) and Tom Mastromatto (.258, six steals) are among the potent holdovers.
"We're deeper than we were last year and we would expect to at least win a playoff round this year," McCann said.
Lansdale - Give the Most Promising Team award this year to the Tigers, who potentially got real good, real fast.
It has to do with pitching, and manager Christian Militello got a lot of it. A reunion of the Hatfield American Legion state champion pitching staff of Jason Mills, Steve Cole, Justin Klinger and Aaron Markowitz is a good place to start. A.J. Battisto, a Pottsgrove grad now at George Mason, is another talented arm.
What Lansdale must do is improve on its .216 team batting average, and Militello is hopeful Harleysville castoff Jon McGlone along with holdovers Mike Gentile, Josh Fink (.283), Tim Myers (team-best 24 hits) and Will Eagles (6 2Bs) will do that.
"I think our pitching will do it for us," the manager said. "It's been a long time since we got past the first round in the playoffs. We'd like to see that this year."
Nor-Gwyn - The Packers have a new manager in Tony DiBricida and a revamped roster that should move them up the quality meter.
You want offense? Nor-Gwyn has brought in Bob Filler from Plymouth, former league home run champ Brian Oakes, Ken Devenney from St. John's, John Kalis from Muhlenburg and Temple center fielder Jaime Abercrombie to fill the lineup with holdovers Gene Kozuch (.286, 13 RBIs), Sam Battavio (.268) and Al Warner (6 2Bs).
Pitching?
Penn State's Tom Osteen, Mike Lonensten and Bo Zeigler will join returnees Kevin Brown (3.26 ERA), Pete Quaracino (1-0) and Kevin Manero to give the Packers a solid, if not spectacular staff.
"We have at least two people at every position and we're drastically improved," DiBricida said. "We could surprise people. We have the potential to be a top four team."
Trooper - According to new manager and Methacton High grad Sam Pier, "the Methacton boys are taking over the reins" over the Trashmen.
And indeed, the Trooper roster is dotted with several young Methacton products, along with holdovers Andrew Hanson (.422, 11 RBIs), Kevin McCarthy (.346, 10 RBIs), Dan Overcash (.333) Drew Moyer (.320) and pitcher Tom Urban (2-4).
The Trashmen roster also features no fewer than four members of the Pires family (Mike, Ed, Marc and Chris) and new arm Mark Shimrock.
Trooper hit .266 as a team last year, but its league-worst 7.04 ERA was the telling stat of the Trashmen's season.
"Our offense is solid," Pier said. "It's going to depend on how our pitching works out."
Ambler - The Rebels' policy of turning over rosters to stay stocked with young talent is hell on manager Bruce DeBernardis, who has yet to meet the bulk of roster.
"It's another rebuilding year," DeBernardis said, "and these guys will have to get a baptism under fire.
"Most of our players were contacted through the mail and telephone and many of them will be putting on their uniforms for the first time before the opener."
On the plus side, Joe Perry (.310), Ryan Adcock (.281) and pitchers Bud Schmidt (3.58 ERA), Rocco Cione (1-2) and Charlie Moore return.
The remainder of the Rebels remains to be seen - literally.
When Hall of Fame manager Vince Elsier closed out his run as A's manager a year ago and headed for the sunny climes of Florida, he was supposed to lead a mass exodus of A's to the world of street clothes and memories.
Long-time A's, players such as Frank Monastero, Mark Brockell, Bob Altieri and others were supposed to call it a day, leaving Norristown to chase the league crown rather than have it placed on its head before the first pitch was thrown.
So much for suppositions.
When the A's take the field to pursue their 10th league title in 11 years, a week later than the rest of the league, the changes in personnel will number about two, and those will be additions.
"It will be the same guys, everyone's coming back," said Norristown outfielder Matt Altieri, who will now share the managerial chores with infielder Eric Fisher.
"I didn't think Brock would be back. I thought Frank might hang 'em up. But everybody's here, and I didn't have to talk anybody into anything."
The loss of Elsier will be felt, but apparently a lot less than anyone expected.
"Vince Who?" Altieri deadpanned. "Hey, we've got guys who know what they're doing. A lot of them are coaches somewhere else.
"Right now our biggest problem is finding a third-base coach. No one wants to volunteer to do it."
That means the league will once again be facing a club that hit a whopping .404 a year ago while pitching to a 0.80 ERA.
Brockell, Matt Altieri, Matt Sperling, Monastero, Fisher and Joe D'Orazio held down the leagues's top six places in hitting last season, while pitchers Brian Stumpf, Bill Zalewski and Mike Zwanch combined to win 17 games.
All return, along with Mark Roth (.364), Rob Reed (.311) and newcomer Steve Develin, a young hurler (and Plymouth Whitemarsh grad) with Division One stuff.
Will Elsier be missed? Certainly not by league umpires.
Is Norristown still the team to beat? It sure looks that way.
As for the week delay at the outset of the year, Matt Altieri is getting married May 15.
And the rest of the Perky League:
Plymouth - The Pirates were the lone team to beat Norristown a year ago. But that came in the championship finals, won by the A's in four games. Plymouth's goal is to unseat the A's.
And the Pirates are built to do it.
Some of the Bucs' key personnel from a season ago - outfielders Dan Kelly and Bob Filler, catcher Jason Hartley and pitchers Josiah Platchek, Nate Yeagle and Scott Forster - are not rostered.
But the league's home run champ, Dennis Burge (.306, 4 HRs) and infielders John Rickards (.345) Harry Ley (15 RBIs) are, along with pitching newcomers Ryan Wendler (Villanova) and Tim Foulkrod (Temple).
Mike Dertouzos (La Salle), Sean Barksdale and Ryan Nanni should also upgrade the offense.
This is not the team that went to the finals a year ago. But it might be better.
Souderton - According to Warriors manager Rick Nasta, Souderton will boast "the same core, with a few additions," which means the club should again be in the championship mix.
Top batsmen Tony DeLude (.375, 15 RBIs), Justin Cooper (.364, 2 HRs, 17 RBIs) and MC Bertolino (.344) return as do pitchers Jordan Nyce (5-3, 1.71 ERA) and Jon Squires (4-1, 0.95).
A major question mark is the availability of southpaw pitcher Ryan Hoagey, who may be hamstrung by work commitments. But newcomers Jason Leo, Matt Lavin and Steve Vassalotti should fill the void.
"We should be competitive again," Nasta said.
There's no reason to think otherwise.
Collegeville - The Black Sox may find themselves right back in the midst of the title hunt thanks to a number of top-flight additions to the lineup.
A large chunk of the Temple offense is now quartered in Collegeville, with Kennedy-Kenrick grad Lenny Del Grippo (2nd on the Owls in RBIs), Dan Brady (The Owls' leader in home runs and RBIs) and Devon Swope all joining the Sox.
Throw in stalwarts Stan Haraczka (.349, 16 RBIs), Jason Adamek (.310), Ryan Hatfield and Ian Hauze (.304) and Collegeville should hit with anyone.
Jared Lenko (3-0, 0.26), Joe Raniszewski and Derek Major head up the pitching staff.
Long-time Sox Tom Szilli and Pat Krouse are semi-retired and will only play in an emergency.
"We'll be lucky to finish fourth," said Collegeville manager Bob Letter.
Don't bet on it.
Harleysville - The Storm Hornets' Achilles heel over the past few seasons has been pitching.
H-ville lost one of its best this year with Jim Farrell not returning to the team. But former Hornets Matt Powell and Michael Coron return to the mound this year. And along with holdovers Harley Nager (6-3, 2.27) and Chris Hamilton give the team a pretty solid staff.
Catcher Matt Lafferty, shortstop Michael Weckenman (who could also close) and outfielder Shawn Clark (from Nor-Gwyn) are newcomers who should all contribute.
Co-manager Bill McCann (.329, 13 RBIs), Tim Quigley (.323) and Tom Mastromatto (.258, six steals) are among the potent holdovers.
"We're deeper than we were last year and we would expect to at least win a playoff round this year," McCann said.
Lansdale - Give the Most Promising Team award this year to the Tigers, who potentially got real good, real fast.
It has to do with pitching, and manager Christian Militello got a lot of it. A reunion of the Hatfield American Legion state champion pitching staff of Jason Mills, Steve Cole, Justin Klinger and Aaron Markowitz is a good place to start. A.J. Battisto, a Pottsgrove grad now at George Mason, is another talented arm.
What Lansdale must do is improve on its .216 team batting average, and Militello is hopeful Harleysville castoff Jon McGlone along with holdovers Mike Gentile, Josh Fink (.283), Tim Myers (team-best 24 hits) and Will Eagles (6 2Bs) will do that.
"I think our pitching will do it for us," the manager said. "It's been a long time since we got past the first round in the playoffs. We'd like to see that this year."
Nor-Gwyn - The Packers have a new manager in Tony DiBricida and a revamped roster that should move them up the quality meter.
You want offense? Nor-Gwyn has brought in Bob Filler from Plymouth, former league home run champ Brian Oakes, Ken Devenney from St. John's, John Kalis from Muhlenburg and Temple center fielder Jaime Abercrombie to fill the lineup with holdovers Gene Kozuch (.286, 13 RBIs), Sam Battavio (.268) and Al Warner (6 2Bs).
Pitching?
Penn State's Tom Osteen, Mike Lonensten and Bo Zeigler will join returnees Kevin Brown (3.26 ERA), Pete Quaracino (1-0) and Kevin Manero to give the Packers a solid, if not spectacular staff.
"We have at least two people at every position and we're drastically improved," DiBricida said. "We could surprise people. We have the potential to be a top four team."
Trooper - According to new manager and Methacton High grad Sam Pier, "the Methacton boys are taking over the reins" over the Trashmen.
And indeed, the Trooper roster is dotted with several young Methacton products, along with holdovers Andrew Hanson (.422, 11 RBIs), Kevin McCarthy (.346, 10 RBIs), Dan Overcash (.333) Drew Moyer (.320) and pitcher Tom Urban (2-4).
The Trashmen roster also features no fewer than four members of the Pires family (Mike, Ed, Marc and Chris) and new arm Mark Shimrock.
Trooper hit .266 as a team last year, but its league-worst 7.04 ERA was the telling stat of the Trashmen's season.
"Our offense is solid," Pier said. "It's going to depend on how our pitching works out."
Ambler - The Rebels' policy of turning over rosters to stay stocked with young talent is hell on manager Bruce DeBernardis, who has yet to meet the bulk of roster.
"It's another rebuilding year," DeBernardis said, "and these guys will have to get a baptism under fire.
"Most of our players were contacted through the mail and telephone and many of them will be putting on their uniforms for the first time before the opener."
On the plus side, Joe Perry (.310), Ryan Adcock (.281) and pitchers Bud Schmidt (3.58 ERA), Rocco Cione (1-2) and Charlie Moore return.
The remainder of the Rebels remains to be seen - literally.
Do Pirates have recipe to spoil Norristown feeding frenzy?
NORRISTOWN - The Norristown A's lose about as often as a hefty man turns down a free meal.
The perennial amateur baseball powerhouse has been dining on Perky League opponents for the better part of a decade, feasting to the tune of eight playoff championships in the last nine years.
The feeding frenzy reached a new zenith this season for the A's, who haven't tasted defeat in 34 straight outings. Their multi-course buffet included three-game sweeps of Trooper and Collegeville in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Plymouth is next on the menu for Norristown, with the best-of-five championship series opening tonight at Latshaw-McCarthy Field (7:30 p.m.). All five games, if necessary, are designated for the same time and site.
The question - will the Pirates feel like just another entrée, a 25-pound turkey heading for the slaughterhouse two days before Thanksgiving? Or does Plymouth have the recipe to give the A's and agitated stomach and food poisoning?
The suspense will begin when Norristown sends Matt Sperling to the mound against Sean Kroszner in the series opener.
"It's just another baseball game for us," said Norristown manager Vince Elsier, tongue planted firmly in cheek. "They have very good pitching and we have very good hitters.
"They're a young team and they'll be trying to put some pressure on us, but it won't affect our mindset one way or another and it won't change the way we approach the game."
The Pirates are coming off a pressure-packed, five-game series victory over gritty Souderton. Brandon Bruno outdueled Jordan Nyce in a tense pitcher's duel in Game 5, giving Plymouth the win with a 1-0 shutout victory.
"We'll take it one game at a time," said Bruno after his four-hit masterpiece Friday. "Everyone is looking forward to it. Any time you play a team like Norristown, you have to limit your errors - mentally and in the field.
"You might get away with one error, but not any more than that. It's very important to stay on top of the game. We have to stay focused on every play."
While Plymouth is focusing on fundamental execution, the A's will be setting their sights on providing Elsier with a fitting sendoff in the veteran skipper's final season at the helm.
"When you get this far and you're that close (to going unbeaten), you can taste it," said Elsier "It would be a good feat, especially with me going out. It would be a great accomplishment to do something nobody has ever been able to do before."
Beating Norristown once is a daunting task for anyone in the top-heavy Perky League. Taking the A's down three times in the same week would be a Herculean feat.
Plymouth manager Nick Chichilitti isn't expecting any such miracles, but he likes the way his club responded to adversity in finishing off Souderton.
"The odds aren't good," said Chichilitti. "We're coming off a tough series and we're beat up physically. What this series did for us mentally is give us confidence."
Whether that newfound confidence can put a stagger to Norristown's swagger is another story.
"They have great pitching, and one through nine, they swing the bats," said Chichilitti. "There aren't many holes in that lineup.
"To beat them, you have to play perfect baseball. You can't make any mistakes because they keep coming at you. We'll try to break their undefeated season, then take it game by game after that."
Plymouth took Norristown to the limit twice during the regular season, dropping a pair of one-run games by scores of 1-0 and 4-3.
Elsier expects more of the same.
"All four of our games with them were competitive," said Elsier. "There weren't any blowouts.
"Right now, we're healthy and we're hitting the ball. When our guys get into an offensive rhythm, one through nine, it's pretty tough to shut us down. We had a couple of innings against Collegeville where we were shaky defensively, but our pitching has been great all year."
HOW THEY GOT THERE: After dispatching of Trooper in the quarterfinals, Norristown got past old nemesis Collegeville, winning 10-3, 7-4 and 4-3. Plymouth swept Nor-Gwyn in the opening round before locking horns with Souderton. The Pirates bracketed 2-0 and 12-2 losses in Games 1 and 4 around 7-6 and 4-3 victories. Bruno did the job in Game 5, giving Plymouth its third one-run win of the series.
SEASON SERIES: Norristown beat the Pirates in four straight during the regular season, prevailing 6-4, 1-0, 4-3 and 7-3.
STARTING ROTATIONS: After Sperling in Game 1, Elsier plans to start right-handers Mike Zwanch and Brian Stumpf in Games 2 and 3, respectively. Plymouth will follow up Kroszner with Nate Yeagle and Bruno, according to Chichilitti.
NOTES: Plymouth will be without outfielders Bob Filler (vacation), Dennis Burge (broken hand) and Scott Grimes (independent league signee). Norristown will have all of its heavy artillery in place. According to the latest statistics on the Perky League Web site, Norristown was batting .404 as a team and had a team ERA of 1.10. Mark Brockell (.508), Sperling, Matt Altieri and Joe D'Orazio were all hitting over .400 according to the latest release.
PREDICTION: Norristown will make history while making Plymouth history, winning in three straight.
The fourth annual Perky League Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. Monday prior to Game 1 of the championship series at Latshaw-McCarthy Field. This year's entries include Elsier, Collegeville's slugging outfielder Gregg Vermeesch and Norristown's multi-talented former outfielder Alex DiNolfi.
The perennial amateur baseball powerhouse has been dining on Perky League opponents for the better part of a decade, feasting to the tune of eight playoff championships in the last nine years.
The feeding frenzy reached a new zenith this season for the A's, who haven't tasted defeat in 34 straight outings. Their multi-course buffet included three-game sweeps of Trooper and Collegeville in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Plymouth is next on the menu for Norristown, with the best-of-five championship series opening tonight at Latshaw-McCarthy Field (7:30 p.m.). All five games, if necessary, are designated for the same time and site.
The question - will the Pirates feel like just another entrée, a 25-pound turkey heading for the slaughterhouse two days before Thanksgiving? Or does Plymouth have the recipe to give the A's and agitated stomach and food poisoning?
The suspense will begin when Norristown sends Matt Sperling to the mound against Sean Kroszner in the series opener.
"It's just another baseball game for us," said Norristown manager Vince Elsier, tongue planted firmly in cheek. "They have very good pitching and we have very good hitters.
"They're a young team and they'll be trying to put some pressure on us, but it won't affect our mindset one way or another and it won't change the way we approach the game."
The Pirates are coming off a pressure-packed, five-game series victory over gritty Souderton. Brandon Bruno outdueled Jordan Nyce in a tense pitcher's duel in Game 5, giving Plymouth the win with a 1-0 shutout victory.
"We'll take it one game at a time," said Bruno after his four-hit masterpiece Friday. "Everyone is looking forward to it. Any time you play a team like Norristown, you have to limit your errors - mentally and in the field.
"You might get away with one error, but not any more than that. It's very important to stay on top of the game. We have to stay focused on every play."
While Plymouth is focusing on fundamental execution, the A's will be setting their sights on providing Elsier with a fitting sendoff in the veteran skipper's final season at the helm.
"When you get this far and you're that close (to going unbeaten), you can taste it," said Elsier "It would be a good feat, especially with me going out. It would be a great accomplishment to do something nobody has ever been able to do before."
Beating Norristown once is a daunting task for anyone in the top-heavy Perky League. Taking the A's down three times in the same week would be a Herculean feat.
Plymouth manager Nick Chichilitti isn't expecting any such miracles, but he likes the way his club responded to adversity in finishing off Souderton.
"The odds aren't good," said Chichilitti. "We're coming off a tough series and we're beat up physically. What this series did for us mentally is give us confidence."
Whether that newfound confidence can put a stagger to Norristown's swagger is another story.
"They have great pitching, and one through nine, they swing the bats," said Chichilitti. "There aren't many holes in that lineup.
"To beat them, you have to play perfect baseball. You can't make any mistakes because they keep coming at you. We'll try to break their undefeated season, then take it game by game after that."
Plymouth took Norristown to the limit twice during the regular season, dropping a pair of one-run games by scores of 1-0 and 4-3.
Elsier expects more of the same.
"All four of our games with them were competitive," said Elsier. "There weren't any blowouts.
"Right now, we're healthy and we're hitting the ball. When our guys get into an offensive rhythm, one through nine, it's pretty tough to shut us down. We had a couple of innings against Collegeville where we were shaky defensively, but our pitching has been great all year."
HOW THEY GOT THERE: After dispatching of Trooper in the quarterfinals, Norristown got past old nemesis Collegeville, winning 10-3, 7-4 and 4-3. Plymouth swept Nor-Gwyn in the opening round before locking horns with Souderton. The Pirates bracketed 2-0 and 12-2 losses in Games 1 and 4 around 7-6 and 4-3 victories. Bruno did the job in Game 5, giving Plymouth its third one-run win of the series.
SEASON SERIES: Norristown beat the Pirates in four straight during the regular season, prevailing 6-4, 1-0, 4-3 and 7-3.
STARTING ROTATIONS: After Sperling in Game 1, Elsier plans to start right-handers Mike Zwanch and Brian Stumpf in Games 2 and 3, respectively. Plymouth will follow up Kroszner with Nate Yeagle and Bruno, according to Chichilitti.
NOTES: Plymouth will be without outfielders Bob Filler (vacation), Dennis Burge (broken hand) and Scott Grimes (independent league signee). Norristown will have all of its heavy artillery in place. According to the latest statistics on the Perky League Web site, Norristown was batting .404 as a team and had a team ERA of 1.10. Mark Brockell (.508), Sperling, Matt Altieri and Joe D'Orazio were all hitting over .400 according to the latest release.
PREDICTION: Norristown will make history while making Plymouth history, winning in three straight.
The fourth annual Perky League Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. Monday prior to Game 1 of the championship series at Latshaw-McCarthy Field. This year's entries include Elsier, Collegeville's slugging outfielder Gregg Vermeesch and Norristown's multi-talented former outfielder Alex DiNolfi.
Streaking Norristown battles Trooper as playoffs begin
Which is never a good sign for the rest of the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League.
Norristown begins its quest for its ninth league championship in 10 years when the Perky League playoffs begin at four area locales Monday night. To call the A's overwhelming favorites would be akin to giving Sherman the nod over Atlanta.
And worse yet, as the postseason begins, they're breaking shoes.
"Everyone is hitting, playing defense and we're getting great pitching," said A's manager Vince Elsier, who will be beginning the final playoff season of his long Perky League managerial career when Norristown hosts Trooper Monday (7:30) at Latshaw/McCarthy Field. "We're playing hard every game and we're having a good time.
"We're breaking each other's shoes on the bench, joking with each other. And that's always a sign that we're playing well.
"It can't get any better than where it's at."
In other words, happy A's are potent A's, not that they need any help at all in the potency dept.
Norristown is coming off the first unbeaten regular season in league history. And while the league's top four teams - the A's, along with Plymouth, Souderton and Collegeville - could all make arguments as legitimate championship contenders, you'd have to go mighty far to find anyone who would wager the ranch and the dog on any club other than Norristown.
The Norristown-Trooper series is one of four first-round playoff matchups.
And this year, the word "upset" is not expected to be put to use in Round One.
The most intriguing match is the fourth-seeded Collegeville vs. fifth-seeded Harleysville series. But few anticipate anything other than a Norristown-Collegeville semifinal.
As for the individual matchups:
No. 1 Norristown vs. No. 8 Trooper - The Trashmen hit the ball, and could be troublesome in another first-round pairing. But they won't trouble the A's. Norristown virtually turned the much-publicized return of the league to wood bats into sawdust, boasting five .400 hitters - Mark Brockell, Matt Altieri, Matt Sperling, Frank Monastero and Mark Roth - while averaging nearly nine runs per game.
You want pitching? Norristown's proposed playoff rotation of Sperling, Brian Stumpf and Rob Kell is as good as you'll see, topped possibly only by the A's "second-line" hurlers, Mike Zwanch, Bill Zalewski, Paul Spiewak and closer Bake Leonards.
Trooper's revitalization project, taken on by first-year manager Bud Brennan, has been a success. Newcomers Dan Overcash, Andrew Hanson, Alex Kaplan and Kevin Gordon have meshed well with vets Kevin McCarthy, Drew Moyer and Herb Hoffman to produce a club strong on chemistry and offense.
The club's Achilles heel, however, is pitching. The team's likely playoff rotation, Tom Urban, Matt Mitchell and either Tom Mustachio or Dave Mototsky, will need to keep Norristown's vaunted big innings to a minimum, while the Trooper defense has to allow the A's just three outs per inning. Those seem unlikely against a Norristown lineup that can hit and produce runs with the best adult amateur ballclubs on the east coast.
It won't get nearly as ugly as Norristown's 31-1 win over Trooper back on June 15, but still it's Norristown in three.
Norristown begins its quest for its ninth league championship in 10 years when the Perky League playoffs begin at four area locales Monday night. To call the A's overwhelming favorites would be akin to giving Sherman the nod over Atlanta.
And worse yet, as the postseason begins, they're breaking shoes.
"Everyone is hitting, playing defense and we're getting great pitching," said A's manager Vince Elsier, who will be beginning the final playoff season of his long Perky League managerial career when Norristown hosts Trooper Monday (7:30) at Latshaw/McCarthy Field. "We're playing hard every game and we're having a good time.
"We're breaking each other's shoes on the bench, joking with each other. And that's always a sign that we're playing well.
"It can't get any better than where it's at."
In other words, happy A's are potent A's, not that they need any help at all in the potency dept.
Norristown is coming off the first unbeaten regular season in league history. And while the league's top four teams - the A's, along with Plymouth, Souderton and Collegeville - could all make arguments as legitimate championship contenders, you'd have to go mighty far to find anyone who would wager the ranch and the dog on any club other than Norristown.
The Norristown-Trooper series is one of four first-round playoff matchups.
And this year, the word "upset" is not expected to be put to use in Round One.
The most intriguing match is the fourth-seeded Collegeville vs. fifth-seeded Harleysville series. But few anticipate anything other than a Norristown-Collegeville semifinal.
As for the individual matchups:
No. 1 Norristown vs. No. 8 Trooper - The Trashmen hit the ball, and could be troublesome in another first-round pairing. But they won't trouble the A's. Norristown virtually turned the much-publicized return of the league to wood bats into sawdust, boasting five .400 hitters - Mark Brockell, Matt Altieri, Matt Sperling, Frank Monastero and Mark Roth - while averaging nearly nine runs per game.
You want pitching? Norristown's proposed playoff rotation of Sperling, Brian Stumpf and Rob Kell is as good as you'll see, topped possibly only by the A's "second-line" hurlers, Mike Zwanch, Bill Zalewski, Paul Spiewak and closer Bake Leonards.
Trooper's revitalization project, taken on by first-year manager Bud Brennan, has been a success. Newcomers Dan Overcash, Andrew Hanson, Alex Kaplan and Kevin Gordon have meshed well with vets Kevin McCarthy, Drew Moyer and Herb Hoffman to produce a club strong on chemistry and offense.
The club's Achilles heel, however, is pitching. The team's likely playoff rotation, Tom Urban, Matt Mitchell and either Tom Mustachio or Dave Mototsky, will need to keep Norristown's vaunted big innings to a minimum, while the Trooper defense has to allow the A's just three outs per inning. Those seem unlikely against a Norristown lineup that can hit and produce runs with the best adult amateur ballclubs on the east coast.
It won't get nearly as ugly as Norristown's 31-1 win over Trooper back on June 15, but still it's Norristown in three.
Talent gap growing wider in Perky League
We're more than halfway through the latest Perkiomen Valley Twilight League season and if any conclusion can be reached through the initial month-plus of games it's that there may have never been a more definable gap between the haves and have-nots.
The return to wood bats was supposed to have evened the playing field and either bring the teams with lesser talent up closer to the talent-laden, or drag the talent-laden down a few pegs.
It hasn't happened.
In fact, through 11 games the Norristown A's were hitting, according to the league statistics, a lusty .424 as a team and have run off 17 straight victories to open the year.
Norristown also leads a quartet of teams, joined by Souderton, Plymouth and Collegeville, that, barring divine intervention, should be the league's playoff final four.
Those four clubs are clearly the league's haves, Ambler, Trooper, Lansdale and Nor-Gwyn are the have-nots.
Harleysville is perched in Perky limbo, capable of playing competitively against the big boys but just as capable of playing down to the level of the others.
The gap between the so-called have and have-nots, you ask?
l Norristown is 9-0 vs. the have-nots with five shutouts
l Souderton is 10-0 vs. the have-nots with four shutouts.
l Plymouth is 10-1 vs. the have-nots with two shutouts
l Collegeville is 9-1 vs. the have-nots with six shutouts.
The reason for the wide disparity this year could be the turnover many of the league's teams have experienced.
Ambler, a club that turns over a great deal each year, has nearly an all-new team. Trooper and Lansdale, too, have a host of new faces. Nor-Gwyn has several returnees, but has been betrayed by injury and no-shows. Despite those shortfalls, the Packers have beaten Plymouth and Collegeville, the one exception to the rule.
The two exceptions to the turnover syndrome are both Souderton and Plymouth. Both teams have undergone facelifts, but both remain more than competitive. The strengths of the two teams is on the mound, and the teams' respective pitching staffs have kept their clubs in ballgames while the faces around them have eventually jelled.
Even so, it's been quite a few years since the playoff semifinalists have been a near-lock this early in the year. Things may yet change, but few expect the first-round playoff series to feature the word "upset."
LLLL
The season's halfway point is usually also a time to choose an All-Star team. And just because the league has been unable to raise an All-Star tilt over the last couple of years, that's no reason to deny the naming of an All-Star roster.
How about a 20-man roster that includes seven pitchers (one per inning), numbers that reflect this season's results and some veteran reliables:
P - Brandon Bruno (Plymouth); Jared Lenko (Collegeville); Jordan Nyce (Souderton); Mike Zwanch (Norristown); Matt Sperling (Norristown); Bill Zalewski (Norristown); Andrew Haraczka (Collegeville).
C - Rob Reed (Norristown); Jason Hartley (Plymouth).
INF - Jon McGlone (Harleysville); Justin Cooper (Souderton); Mark Brockell (Norristown); Tom Szilli (Collegeville); Gene Kozuch (Nor-Gwyn); Mark Roth (Norristown).
OF - Matt Altieri (Norristown); Tony DeLude (Souderton); Dennis Burge (Plymouth); Dan Kelly (Plymouth); Kevin McCarthy (Trooper).
LLLL
If things stay as they are, the powers that be are going to have a hard time choosing between Souderton's Nyce and Norristown's Sperling for Most Valuable Player. Both are hitting over .500 and pitching lights out.
Pitcher of the Year so far has to be Plymouth's Bruno, who has thrown a pair of no-hitters, two one-hitters and three two-hitters in the first half, completing five of those seven starts. Bruno had an 0.47 ERA prior to beating Ambler, 13-3, Wednesday. The southpaw is 6-0 with one no decision
The return to wood bats was supposed to have evened the playing field and either bring the teams with lesser talent up closer to the talent-laden, or drag the talent-laden down a few pegs.
It hasn't happened.
In fact, through 11 games the Norristown A's were hitting, according to the league statistics, a lusty .424 as a team and have run off 17 straight victories to open the year.
Norristown also leads a quartet of teams, joined by Souderton, Plymouth and Collegeville, that, barring divine intervention, should be the league's playoff final four.
Those four clubs are clearly the league's haves, Ambler, Trooper, Lansdale and Nor-Gwyn are the have-nots.
Harleysville is perched in Perky limbo, capable of playing competitively against the big boys but just as capable of playing down to the level of the others.
The gap between the so-called have and have-nots, you ask?
l Norristown is 9-0 vs. the have-nots with five shutouts
l Souderton is 10-0 vs. the have-nots with four shutouts.
l Plymouth is 10-1 vs. the have-nots with two shutouts
l Collegeville is 9-1 vs. the have-nots with six shutouts.
The reason for the wide disparity this year could be the turnover many of the league's teams have experienced.
Ambler, a club that turns over a great deal each year, has nearly an all-new team. Trooper and Lansdale, too, have a host of new faces. Nor-Gwyn has several returnees, but has been betrayed by injury and no-shows. Despite those shortfalls, the Packers have beaten Plymouth and Collegeville, the one exception to the rule.
The two exceptions to the turnover syndrome are both Souderton and Plymouth. Both teams have undergone facelifts, but both remain more than competitive. The strengths of the two teams is on the mound, and the teams' respective pitching staffs have kept their clubs in ballgames while the faces around them have eventually jelled.
Even so, it's been quite a few years since the playoff semifinalists have been a near-lock this early in the year. Things may yet change, but few expect the first-round playoff series to feature the word "upset."
LLLL
The season's halfway point is usually also a time to choose an All-Star team. And just because the league has been unable to raise an All-Star tilt over the last couple of years, that's no reason to deny the naming of an All-Star roster.
How about a 20-man roster that includes seven pitchers (one per inning), numbers that reflect this season's results and some veteran reliables:
P - Brandon Bruno (Plymouth); Jared Lenko (Collegeville); Jordan Nyce (Souderton); Mike Zwanch (Norristown); Matt Sperling (Norristown); Bill Zalewski (Norristown); Andrew Haraczka (Collegeville).
C - Rob Reed (Norristown); Jason Hartley (Plymouth).
INF - Jon McGlone (Harleysville); Justin Cooper (Souderton); Mark Brockell (Norristown); Tom Szilli (Collegeville); Gene Kozuch (Nor-Gwyn); Mark Roth (Norristown).
OF - Matt Altieri (Norristown); Tony DeLude (Souderton); Dennis Burge (Plymouth); Dan Kelly (Plymouth); Kevin McCarthy (Trooper).
LLLL
If things stay as they are, the powers that be are going to have a hard time choosing between Souderton's Nyce and Norristown's Sperling for Most Valuable Player. Both are hitting over .500 and pitching lights out.
Pitcher of the Year so far has to be Plymouth's Bruno, who has thrown a pair of no-hitters, two one-hitters and three two-hitters in the first half, completing five of those seven starts. Bruno had an 0.47 ERA prior to beating Ambler, 13-3, Wednesday. The southpaw is 6-0 with one no decision
A's still team to beat in Perky League
Year in and year out, the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League can be counted on to undergo a change or two.
Sometimes that change is major, like the inclusion of a new team into its ranks, or minor, like the rumor of another Dave Kurtz comeback.
But the 2005 Perky League season will feature more changes than a schizophrenic chameleon.
Changes in rules, rosters, owners, even on-field behavior promise that as the league celebrates its 91st year, the product may well resemble that of a brand-new circuit.
The biggest change, by far, is the return to wood.
Aluminum bats have gone the way of the 8-track, and now Perky games will truly feature the "crack of the bat." The move has been in the works for a couple of seasons.
But with virtually every other adult or college-age summer league or tournament now using wood bats, the move was inevitable.
Wood bats should help the Perky compete in the talent hunt for college-age players. But more importantly the switch to wood should have a dramatic impact on the game itself. Now, pitchers will be rewarded for making good pitches, rather than watching pitches on the hands fisted into gaps.
In nearly every other league that has returned to wood bats, the games have been completed in far less time. Also, there should be more of a premium placed on pitching and speed, rather than three-run homers.
"It's a whole new ballgame with wood," said Nor-Gwyn manager "Pogo" Miller. "This is something we should have gone to years ago."
"It will help us," said new Lansdale skipper Christian Militello. "Ninety-nine percent of our team is college guys, and they're used to playing with wood.
"This should definitely help the middle of the pack teams."
Those teams, along with most of the league, should also be planning on printing up scorecards. The movement of players, the recruitment of others and the changes in management and upper management is more prevalent than it has been in years.
Long-time players such as Scooter Myers, Joe Capriotti, Carl and Chris Motts, Mike Houser, Joe O'Brien, John DiGirolamo, Tom Christy and Matt Weygand are gone.
Norristown's Mark Roth and Collegeville's Derek Major have signed with independent league teams.
Others, like Dan Chieffalo, Matt Sperling, Gene Kozuch, Kris Doiron, Matt O'Brien and Gregg Mellott, have changed teams.
Ownership has changed at Plymouth and Souderton. There are four new managers in the league. Long-time manager and league officer Tom Bieber has moved on.
The league has also said it will enforce legislation penalizing bad or abusive language.
Enough changes?
There may be more to come. According to league president Ben Enters, Hatfield was due to become the league's 10th team this season, but its owners backed out at the last minute, feeling the club may not yet be capable of playing competitive baseball.
Skippack also tested the waters, citing its new facility near the Skippack Township Building, but never did present its case for coming back into the league to the league itself.
But both, one or neither could figure in future plans.
Now, however, the emphasis is on this season, with eight teams attempting to unseat Norristown.
NORRISTOWN
Ask A's manager Vince Elsier who the favorite is going into this season and his answer is as definitive as it is quick.
"We are," he says, with just a hint of a smile. "We are absolutely the stone-cold favorites. We're not going to go undefeated. But we will win."
Elsier has already announced that this will be his final Perky season. And his mission is to go out having piloted the A's to their ninth championship in 10 years. The prospects look good.
Norristown will miss Roth and Chieffalo (gone to Plymouth), but former Plymouth/Upper Merion/Skippack heroes Doiron, Sperling (.506, league-best 29 hits), Mellott and Mike Zwanch are on board.
And added to the ageless nucleus that still includes Eric Fisher, Joe D'Orazio (.418, league-high 12 doubles) Mark Brockell (league-best 37 RBIs), Frank Monastero, Bob Altieri and Matt Altieri (league leader in steals and runs) along with ace pitcher Bill Zalewski (league-best 6 wins, 0.33 ERA), they give Elsier a pretty fair chance of going out a winner.
Sometimes that change is major, like the inclusion of a new team into its ranks, or minor, like the rumor of another Dave Kurtz comeback.
But the 2005 Perky League season will feature more changes than a schizophrenic chameleon.
Changes in rules, rosters, owners, even on-field behavior promise that as the league celebrates its 91st year, the product may well resemble that of a brand-new circuit.
The biggest change, by far, is the return to wood.
Aluminum bats have gone the way of the 8-track, and now Perky games will truly feature the "crack of the bat." The move has been in the works for a couple of seasons.
But with virtually every other adult or college-age summer league or tournament now using wood bats, the move was inevitable.
Wood bats should help the Perky compete in the talent hunt for college-age players. But more importantly the switch to wood should have a dramatic impact on the game itself. Now, pitchers will be rewarded for making good pitches, rather than watching pitches on the hands fisted into gaps.
In nearly every other league that has returned to wood bats, the games have been completed in far less time. Also, there should be more of a premium placed on pitching and speed, rather than three-run homers.
"It's a whole new ballgame with wood," said Nor-Gwyn manager "Pogo" Miller. "This is something we should have gone to years ago."
"It will help us," said new Lansdale skipper Christian Militello. "Ninety-nine percent of our team is college guys, and they're used to playing with wood.
"This should definitely help the middle of the pack teams."
Those teams, along with most of the league, should also be planning on printing up scorecards. The movement of players, the recruitment of others and the changes in management and upper management is more prevalent than it has been in years.
Long-time players such as Scooter Myers, Joe Capriotti, Carl and Chris Motts, Mike Houser, Joe O'Brien, John DiGirolamo, Tom Christy and Matt Weygand are gone.
Norristown's Mark Roth and Collegeville's Derek Major have signed with independent league teams.
Others, like Dan Chieffalo, Matt Sperling, Gene Kozuch, Kris Doiron, Matt O'Brien and Gregg Mellott, have changed teams.
Ownership has changed at Plymouth and Souderton. There are four new managers in the league. Long-time manager and league officer Tom Bieber has moved on.
The league has also said it will enforce legislation penalizing bad or abusive language.
Enough changes?
There may be more to come. According to league president Ben Enters, Hatfield was due to become the league's 10th team this season, but its owners backed out at the last minute, feeling the club may not yet be capable of playing competitive baseball.
Skippack also tested the waters, citing its new facility near the Skippack Township Building, but never did present its case for coming back into the league to the league itself.
But both, one or neither could figure in future plans.
Now, however, the emphasis is on this season, with eight teams attempting to unseat Norristown.
NORRISTOWN
Ask A's manager Vince Elsier who the favorite is going into this season and his answer is as definitive as it is quick.
"We are," he says, with just a hint of a smile. "We are absolutely the stone-cold favorites. We're not going to go undefeated. But we will win."
Elsier has already announced that this will be his final Perky season. And his mission is to go out having piloted the A's to their ninth championship in 10 years. The prospects look good.
Norristown will miss Roth and Chieffalo (gone to Plymouth), but former Plymouth/Upper Merion/Skippack heroes Doiron, Sperling (.506, league-best 29 hits), Mellott and Mike Zwanch are on board.
And added to the ageless nucleus that still includes Eric Fisher, Joe D'Orazio (.418, league-high 12 doubles) Mark Brockell (league-best 37 RBIs), Frank Monastero, Bob Altieri and Matt Altieri (league leader in steals and runs) along with ace pitcher Bill Zalewski (league-best 6 wins, 0.33 ERA), they give Elsier a pretty fair chance of going out a winner.
Norristown A's remain the hunted in Perky League
Finally, there was light where only darkness dwelled. Year after year, the villagers had watched helplessly while the Giant ruled ruthlessly over the domain. No one dared challenge, for the Giant was mighty, indeed. In the early years when the Giant first appeared, many gallant warriors tried their hand at defeating the mighty Giant. But each met the worst of fates. Now, it appeared, there was finally a chance, a small chance, to escape his almighty clutches and rule over the village once and for all. It had been whispered in the village that the Giant had been cut and was bleeding. At long last, the Giant, thought to be invincible, seemed vulnerable. But was word of the Giant's wound just a rumor? Was the Giant still mighty? Was He playing possum? Could the defeat of the all-powerful Giant finally be at hand?
Few have ruled the domain known as the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League over the past decade as definitively as the Norristown A's.
The A's have won nine of the last 10 league titles. Those victories, along with tournament titles over the best adult clubs in the east at places like York and Harrisburg, have made them one of the best-known teams of their kind in this part of the country.
Twenty-win seasons are the norm. Victories in league play are a foregone conclusion. The A's, in fact, only make news between May and July when they lose.
This season, however, some believe the tide is beginning the turn. A less-than-awe-inspiring A's regular season (that included an unheard of four losses) along with a dramatic upturn in the league's talent pool have some believing Norristown is not an automatic choice for title No. 10 out of 11.
Pitching-rich Lansdale and returning league finalist Plymouth are both in the championship picture, as are the A's old buddies, Collegeville. Souderton and Trooper are not necessarily championship favorites, but could spring a playoff surprise or two.
As for the A's?
"I feel better about our team than I did at the beginning of the season," said co-player/manager Matt Altieri. "We're hitting the ball much better than we have, we're starting to get key two-out hits and our pitching has been there all year.
"We're not where it used to be, but we're getting better."
Good enough for another notch in the dynasty belt?
As everyone from John McGraw to Charlie Manuel have said, "That's why they play the games."
A capsule look at the Perky playoff teams:
Norristown - The A's have had more dirt thrown on them this year than Haystacks Calhoun's casket. But they sure don't look like a team about to be buried. Their playoff rotation, which will include Mike Zwanch, Bill Zalewski, Brian Stumpf and Rob Kell, is as good as the league has. A bullpen that boasts Eric Fisher, Steve Develin and Paul Spiewak? Sure, Lansdale and Plymouth can pitch, but perhaps not as well as the champs.
As for offense, the A's did struggle over long stretches of the season. But the core of Matt Altieri, Frank Monastero, Matt Sperling, Fisher and Joe D'Orazio have been ripping pitchers for years, and don't appear ready to slow down. As for Mark Brockell, the two-time Triple Crown winner may be enjoying his best season, with RBI totals that would make Tony Perez envious.
Dead and buried? Let's just say it may not be a cakewalk, but the A's are still the favorites. Championship odds: 2 to 1.
Lansdale - The New Kids on the Block are the Tigers, who began the season being admired for their pitching depth and finished the year impressing with their defense, poise and clutch hitting, too.
A rotation of a suddenly revived Steve Cole, Jason Mills and Aaron Markowitz is far better than most, although the bullpen, headed by lefty Joe Sawick and Jon Mueller will miss the presence of fireballer A.J. Battisto.
Andrew Miller, one of the league's young stars, heads up the attack, along with power threat Justin Klinger, speed merchant Jon McGlone, the pesky Chris Dascher and RBI leader Will Eagles.
The Tigers should be in every series, but until they win something, they'll still have a lot to prove. Championship odds: 10 to 1.
Collegeville - The Black Sox have a history of playing better at the end of the year, an enviable trait that always put them in the playoff title mix (the Sox are, after all, the only team other than the A's to win a championship - in 2003 - in the past decade).
And this season C-ville seems to have the right mix of talented kids and experienced, quality veterans to make another run.
The pitching is not overwhelming, although Jared Lenko, Derek Major, Joe Raniszewski and Brian Rorick is not a shabby rotation.
What the Sox will do, though, is get people on base, move baserunners and make a pitcher pitch to beat them. And if the young talent produces, the runs will add up. Frank Nunan, Stan Haraczka and Joe Yeager are fine table setters. And if veterans Bob Wineburg and Ian Hauze and rookies Lenny Del Grippo and Dan Brady can contribute the key hit, Collegeville could climb back on top. Championship odds: 7 to 1.
Plymouth - A lot was expected of last year's finalists, especially when the Pirates added pitching depth. But that was before injuries claimed Dennis Burge and Tom Hayes, among others, and one of the club's top young stars, Tyler Stampone, headed northeast to play in a quality college league.
The Bucs, however, have shown flashes down stretch. Their pitching, especially Andrew Huebner, Sean Kroszner and Ryan Wendler, have been in shutdown mode. And veterans Brandon Bruno and Jeff LaPorta are capable of beating anyone.
If there is question about the Pirates, it's an offense that has been consistently inconsistent for most of the year, The recent return of both Burge and Hayes and the re-emergence of Harry Ley after a slow start bode well for the postseason.
And if the offense can put up five runs per game and the defense can remain solid (the loss of Stampone did a number on what was a good defensive infield) there is enough pitching and experience to put the Pirates back in the finals. But that's a lot of ifs. Championship odds: 12 to 1.
Souderton - Folks who remember the Warriors' run to the finals in 1999 can recall a team with good pitching and OK defense that could outhit an opponent when necessary.
Those swashbuckling days were a distant memory this year as Souderton got better-than-expected pitching from star Jordan Nyce, Jon Squire, Tony DeLude and Jason Leo, but very little offense.
The Warriors needed a late-season surge to crack the .250 mark as a team, and only legitimate star Justin Cooper hit over .300.
Souderton is still dangerous if it can find a way to flip the switch on its long-dormant offense and if DeLude heats up at the plate. Nyce is good for two wins in a five-game series. But without run support, every error or pitcher's mistake is magnified. And that's no way to produce another title run. Championship odds: 30 to 1.
Trooper - Yes, the Trashmen were one of the season's great stories, pushing their win total into double digits and playing tough against the big guys.
Whether that feel-good tale will continue in the playoffs is another question.
Undoubtedly, Trooper's top arms, Zeb Engle, Tom Urban and Joe Harris, and a bullpen of Drew Moyer, Mark Shimrock and Rob Cosgriff, is better than the Trash Crew has had in years. But there is no shutdown starter for a Game Five.
The Trooper offense is young and good, with Ryan McCracken and Drew Hanson setting the table for future star Dan Overcash, Joe Miller, Kevin McCarthy and Adam Bucchi. So the Trashmen should be in most games.
But this looks like a team a year or two away from a serious challenge. Good year, but ... Championship odds: 40 to 1.
Harleysville - Is this the team that upset Norristown this season, or the club that dropped a pair of decisions to Ambler?
Unfortunately for the Storm Hornets, they've been the latter down the stretch.
When the rotation includes Harley Nager, Michael Caron (who beat Norristown), Matthew Powell and Chris Hamilton, Harleysville can play with anyone.
But too often it hasn't, and the Hornets' offense has been inconsistent, at best, for most of the campaign.
With Matt Lafferty, Bill McCann and Joe Lisko in the lineup the Hornets can be tough. But stalwarts Tom Mastromatto and Tim Quigley have struggled at the plate this year, so the pressure falls on the team's top three hitters to manufacture offense.
Unless their fortunes change dramatically, the Hornets seem destined for a first-round exit. Championship odds: 75 to 1.
Nor-Gwyn - It's not likely the Packers will challenge for a first-round playoff win, let alone the league championship. But Nor-Gwyn is still worth watching for a couple of reasons.
One is 40-something Al Warner, who still looks 25, is still a tough out and still won't be late on a fastball. The other is pitching phenom Bo Zeigler who has shut out Collegeville, lost a no-hitter to Plymouth and has not given up an earned run in four appearances this year.
When the Packers are going well, Sam Battavio, Matt Blazynski, John Kalis and Jaime Abercrombie are getting on base and Warner, Paul Ferguson and Gene Kozuch are driving them in.
But as with most clubs with losing records, the pluses happen less frequently than the minuses. And that is unlikely to change in the playoffs. Championship odds: 90 to 1.
Few have ruled the domain known as the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League over the past decade as definitively as the Norristown A's.
The A's have won nine of the last 10 league titles. Those victories, along with tournament titles over the best adult clubs in the east at places like York and Harrisburg, have made them one of the best-known teams of their kind in this part of the country.
Twenty-win seasons are the norm. Victories in league play are a foregone conclusion. The A's, in fact, only make news between May and July when they lose.
This season, however, some believe the tide is beginning the turn. A less-than-awe-inspiring A's regular season (that included an unheard of four losses) along with a dramatic upturn in the league's talent pool have some believing Norristown is not an automatic choice for title No. 10 out of 11.
Pitching-rich Lansdale and returning league finalist Plymouth are both in the championship picture, as are the A's old buddies, Collegeville. Souderton and Trooper are not necessarily championship favorites, but could spring a playoff surprise or two.
As for the A's?
"I feel better about our team than I did at the beginning of the season," said co-player/manager Matt Altieri. "We're hitting the ball much better than we have, we're starting to get key two-out hits and our pitching has been there all year.
"We're not where it used to be, but we're getting better."
Good enough for another notch in the dynasty belt?
As everyone from John McGraw to Charlie Manuel have said, "That's why they play the games."
A capsule look at the Perky playoff teams:
Norristown - The A's have had more dirt thrown on them this year than Haystacks Calhoun's casket. But they sure don't look like a team about to be buried. Their playoff rotation, which will include Mike Zwanch, Bill Zalewski, Brian Stumpf and Rob Kell, is as good as the league has. A bullpen that boasts Eric Fisher, Steve Develin and Paul Spiewak? Sure, Lansdale and Plymouth can pitch, but perhaps not as well as the champs.
As for offense, the A's did struggle over long stretches of the season. But the core of Matt Altieri, Frank Monastero, Matt Sperling, Fisher and Joe D'Orazio have been ripping pitchers for years, and don't appear ready to slow down. As for Mark Brockell, the two-time Triple Crown winner may be enjoying his best season, with RBI totals that would make Tony Perez envious.
Dead and buried? Let's just say it may not be a cakewalk, but the A's are still the favorites. Championship odds: 2 to 1.
Lansdale - The New Kids on the Block are the Tigers, who began the season being admired for their pitching depth and finished the year impressing with their defense, poise and clutch hitting, too.
A rotation of a suddenly revived Steve Cole, Jason Mills and Aaron Markowitz is far better than most, although the bullpen, headed by lefty Joe Sawick and Jon Mueller will miss the presence of fireballer A.J. Battisto.
Andrew Miller, one of the league's young stars, heads up the attack, along with power threat Justin Klinger, speed merchant Jon McGlone, the pesky Chris Dascher and RBI leader Will Eagles.
The Tigers should be in every series, but until they win something, they'll still have a lot to prove. Championship odds: 10 to 1.
Collegeville - The Black Sox have a history of playing better at the end of the year, an enviable trait that always put them in the playoff title mix (the Sox are, after all, the only team other than the A's to win a championship - in 2003 - in the past decade).
And this season C-ville seems to have the right mix of talented kids and experienced, quality veterans to make another run.
The pitching is not overwhelming, although Jared Lenko, Derek Major, Joe Raniszewski and Brian Rorick is not a shabby rotation.
What the Sox will do, though, is get people on base, move baserunners and make a pitcher pitch to beat them. And if the young talent produces, the runs will add up. Frank Nunan, Stan Haraczka and Joe Yeager are fine table setters. And if veterans Bob Wineburg and Ian Hauze and rookies Lenny Del Grippo and Dan Brady can contribute the key hit, Collegeville could climb back on top. Championship odds: 7 to 1.
Plymouth - A lot was expected of last year's finalists, especially when the Pirates added pitching depth. But that was before injuries claimed Dennis Burge and Tom Hayes, among others, and one of the club's top young stars, Tyler Stampone, headed northeast to play in a quality college league.
The Bucs, however, have shown flashes down stretch. Their pitching, especially Andrew Huebner, Sean Kroszner and Ryan Wendler, have been in shutdown mode. And veterans Brandon Bruno and Jeff LaPorta are capable of beating anyone.
If there is question about the Pirates, it's an offense that has been consistently inconsistent for most of the year, The recent return of both Burge and Hayes and the re-emergence of Harry Ley after a slow start bode well for the postseason.
And if the offense can put up five runs per game and the defense can remain solid (the loss of Stampone did a number on what was a good defensive infield) there is enough pitching and experience to put the Pirates back in the finals. But that's a lot of ifs. Championship odds: 12 to 1.
Souderton - Folks who remember the Warriors' run to the finals in 1999 can recall a team with good pitching and OK defense that could outhit an opponent when necessary.
Those swashbuckling days were a distant memory this year as Souderton got better-than-expected pitching from star Jordan Nyce, Jon Squire, Tony DeLude and Jason Leo, but very little offense.
The Warriors needed a late-season surge to crack the .250 mark as a team, and only legitimate star Justin Cooper hit over .300.
Souderton is still dangerous if it can find a way to flip the switch on its long-dormant offense and if DeLude heats up at the plate. Nyce is good for two wins in a five-game series. But without run support, every error or pitcher's mistake is magnified. And that's no way to produce another title run. Championship odds: 30 to 1.
Trooper - Yes, the Trashmen were one of the season's great stories, pushing their win total into double digits and playing tough against the big guys.
Whether that feel-good tale will continue in the playoffs is another question.
Undoubtedly, Trooper's top arms, Zeb Engle, Tom Urban and Joe Harris, and a bullpen of Drew Moyer, Mark Shimrock and Rob Cosgriff, is better than the Trash Crew has had in years. But there is no shutdown starter for a Game Five.
The Trooper offense is young and good, with Ryan McCracken and Drew Hanson setting the table for future star Dan Overcash, Joe Miller, Kevin McCarthy and Adam Bucchi. So the Trashmen should be in most games.
But this looks like a team a year or two away from a serious challenge. Good year, but ... Championship odds: 40 to 1.
Harleysville - Is this the team that upset Norristown this season, or the club that dropped a pair of decisions to Ambler?
Unfortunately for the Storm Hornets, they've been the latter down the stretch.
When the rotation includes Harley Nager, Michael Caron (who beat Norristown), Matthew Powell and Chris Hamilton, Harleysville can play with anyone.
But too often it hasn't, and the Hornets' offense has been inconsistent, at best, for most of the campaign.
With Matt Lafferty, Bill McCann and Joe Lisko in the lineup the Hornets can be tough. But stalwarts Tom Mastromatto and Tim Quigley have struggled at the plate this year, so the pressure falls on the team's top three hitters to manufacture offense.
Unless their fortunes change dramatically, the Hornets seem destined for a first-round exit. Championship odds: 75 to 1.
Nor-Gwyn - It's not likely the Packers will challenge for a first-round playoff win, let alone the league championship. But Nor-Gwyn is still worth watching for a couple of reasons.
One is 40-something Al Warner, who still looks 25, is still a tough out and still won't be late on a fastball. The other is pitching phenom Bo Zeigler who has shut out Collegeville, lost a no-hitter to Plymouth and has not given up an earned run in four appearances this year.
When the Packers are going well, Sam Battavio, Matt Blazynski, John Kalis and Jaime Abercrombie are getting on base and Warner, Paul Ferguson and Gene Kozuch are driving them in.
But as with most clubs with losing records, the pluses happen less frequently than the minuses. And that is unlikely to change in the playoffs. Championship odds: 90 to 1.
League inducts Hall of Fame class
NORRISTOWN – Vince Elsier stood there in uniform wondering if Game 1 would be played Monday night.
Gregg Vermeesch looked around to try to find someone else wearing a black Collegeville hat in the predominantly-blue crowd.
And Alex DiNolfi just wanted to make sure they gave him the right plaque.
The three were honored Monday night‚ and were honored just to be there.
This was the Class of 2005 inducted into the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League Hall of Fame prior to the first game of the finals Monday night at Latshaw/McCarthy Field.
As rain fell on the field‚ jaws fell under the cover of the pavilion as statistics and achievements were rattled off.
One guy won 11 Perky League titles during the span of his 14-year playing career. Another guy hit over .400 four times and went an entire season without striking out a single time. The other one had managed 576 wins – and was hoping Monday would become no. 577.
“It’s an absolute honor to be part of a legendary group‚” said Elsier‚ inducted as a manager as he was trying to lead his A’s to a ninth league championship in the last 10 years against Plymouth. “That is some pretty elite company. To go in as a coach is so special because you had something to do with other people’s careers.”
One of those guys being DiNolfi‚ the two paired together on the playing field since Montgomery County Community College in 1981 and reunited with the A’s in 1988.
“Vince and I have been together since college‚” DiNolfi said. “I remember when I heard he was coming to coach here in 1988‚ I couldn’t wait to be back with him. We’ve been close ever since.
“This league is about the people you meet and the players you play against. It’s the competitive level‚ but after the game‚ you can go hang out and have a beer and get to know those guys on the other teams.”
Which is how DiNolfi and Vermeesch became friends‚ as well.
When DiNolfi was getting ready to join the A’s‚ Collegeville was in the middle of its dynasty‚ winning 15 titles in 19 years from 1977-1995. Vermeesch took home his fair share of rings playing from 1977-1990.
“This is a nice icing on the cake for the end of my baseball career‚” said Vermeesch‚ who is currently the president of the Chester County American Legion Baseball League‚ but plans to step back after one more year. “It’s a true honor.
“By starting this up‚ it gives all these players now something to shoot for. Nothing like this existed when we played‚ but this is great.”
And there were some numbers to shoot for stated Monday night.
Vermeesch‚ a catcher and outfielder during his career‚ hit a league-best .492 back in the 1981 season‚ once had 11 RBIs in one game against Perkiomen Township back in 1984 and hit game-winning home runs in the quarterfinals and semifinals when Collegeville won the York Invitational Tournament back in 1983. His 13 home runs during the 1984 season was a league record that stood into the 90s.
“I went through my scrapbook for this‚” he said. “I haven’t gone through it in like forever. It was a nice ride through memories.
“A lot of my success was because I played with so many great players.”
And against others.
“I’m real excited‚” said DiNolfi‚ whose Perky career spanned from 1981-1997 and included three league crowns and nine trips to the finals.
“This is where I played for 17 years‚ and your ex-team is playing in the finals. I’m still a Norristown A at heart.”
Elsier’s Hall of Fame career really began when he became player-manager at Harleysville in 1987. Since then‚ his teams have won nine championships and he has played a big part in building the league’s current dynasty.
During the previous three induction ceremonies‚ Elsier also stood and watched in uniform‚ his team in the finals each year. He thought about possibly someday being on the other side of the ceremony.
This being his last year managing the A’s‚ and having already left his post as head coach at Souderton High‚ it was the perfect time for Elsier to be on both sides.
“You always want to be there‚” he said. “To be in that company is real nice.”
But this was game night. Elsier‚ along with Vermeesch and DiNolfi‚ could not spend too much time thinking about the past.
There was more baseball to be played.
And that’s an honor in itself.
Gregg Vermeesch looked around to try to find someone else wearing a black Collegeville hat in the predominantly-blue crowd.
And Alex DiNolfi just wanted to make sure they gave him the right plaque.
The three were honored Monday night‚ and were honored just to be there.
This was the Class of 2005 inducted into the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League Hall of Fame prior to the first game of the finals Monday night at Latshaw/McCarthy Field.
As rain fell on the field‚ jaws fell under the cover of the pavilion as statistics and achievements were rattled off.
One guy won 11 Perky League titles during the span of his 14-year playing career. Another guy hit over .400 four times and went an entire season without striking out a single time. The other one had managed 576 wins – and was hoping Monday would become no. 577.
“It’s an absolute honor to be part of a legendary group‚” said Elsier‚ inducted as a manager as he was trying to lead his A’s to a ninth league championship in the last 10 years against Plymouth. “That is some pretty elite company. To go in as a coach is so special because you had something to do with other people’s careers.”
One of those guys being DiNolfi‚ the two paired together on the playing field since Montgomery County Community College in 1981 and reunited with the A’s in 1988.
“Vince and I have been together since college‚” DiNolfi said. “I remember when I heard he was coming to coach here in 1988‚ I couldn’t wait to be back with him. We’ve been close ever since.
“This league is about the people you meet and the players you play against. It’s the competitive level‚ but after the game‚ you can go hang out and have a beer and get to know those guys on the other teams.”
Which is how DiNolfi and Vermeesch became friends‚ as well.
When DiNolfi was getting ready to join the A’s‚ Collegeville was in the middle of its dynasty‚ winning 15 titles in 19 years from 1977-1995. Vermeesch took home his fair share of rings playing from 1977-1990.
“This is a nice icing on the cake for the end of my baseball career‚” said Vermeesch‚ who is currently the president of the Chester County American Legion Baseball League‚ but plans to step back after one more year. “It’s a true honor.
“By starting this up‚ it gives all these players now something to shoot for. Nothing like this existed when we played‚ but this is great.”
And there were some numbers to shoot for stated Monday night.
Vermeesch‚ a catcher and outfielder during his career‚ hit a league-best .492 back in the 1981 season‚ once had 11 RBIs in one game against Perkiomen Township back in 1984 and hit game-winning home runs in the quarterfinals and semifinals when Collegeville won the York Invitational Tournament back in 1983. His 13 home runs during the 1984 season was a league record that stood into the 90s.
“I went through my scrapbook for this‚” he said. “I haven’t gone through it in like forever. It was a nice ride through memories.
“A lot of my success was because I played with so many great players.”
And against others.
“I’m real excited‚” said DiNolfi‚ whose Perky career spanned from 1981-1997 and included three league crowns and nine trips to the finals.
“This is where I played for 17 years‚ and your ex-team is playing in the finals. I’m still a Norristown A at heart.”
Elsier’s Hall of Fame career really began when he became player-manager at Harleysville in 1987. Since then‚ his teams have won nine championships and he has played a big part in building the league’s current dynasty.
During the previous three induction ceremonies‚ Elsier also stood and watched in uniform‚ his team in the finals each year. He thought about possibly someday being on the other side of the ceremony.
This being his last year managing the A’s‚ and having already left his post as head coach at Souderton High‚ it was the perfect time for Elsier to be on both sides.
“You always want to be there‚” he said. “To be in that company is real nice.”
But this was game night. Elsier‚ along with Vermeesch and DiNolfi‚ could not spend too much time thinking about the past.
There was more baseball to be played.
And that’s an honor in itself.
Call helps Penbrook into Firecracker final
BY JEREMY ELLIOTT
For The Patriot-News
Jim Skonezney's Penbrook Pirates have put together a well-rounded team in this year's edition of the East Shore Twilight Firecracker Tournament.
Friday, it was ace pitcher Bryan Pittinger answering the bell leading his team to a pair of victories.
Yesterday, it was a combination of great defense, timely hitting and a spot of controversy that got the job done.
The end result was the same. Two more victories and a 4-0 mark put Skonezney's team in today's finals, which kicks off 1 p.m. at New Cumberland.
The victims yesterday were fellow East Shore representative Dauphin in the opener and perennial power and 2004 champion Norristown.
"We had the total package during this tournament," Skonezney said. "It has been a team effort. Everyone has contributed."
It shows in the boxscore.
Against Dauphin, Matt Wagner hurled a 77-pitch complete game allowing five hits and striking out two.
The offense was, once again, highlighted by Scott Otstot, who continued his most valuable player pace with a 3-for-3 effort that included four RBIs.
Things didn't come as easily against Norristown.
Penbrook amassed a 3-0 lead before the A's battled back with a run in the second and two more in the third.
Arturo Figueroa gave Penbrook a 4-3 advantage in the fifth when he smacked a single to left that plated Mike Orndorff.
The lead increased to 7-3 when Norristown had two uncharacteristic errors in the top of the seventh.
Norristown had one run across and loaded the bases in its final at bat with Penbrook pitcher Cory Meyers trying to finish his complete game.
A's first baseman Mark Roth launched a ball to right and a charging Roberto Escalet dove to make the play.
Two Norristown runners crossed the plate, but the runs were waved off by the field umpire who said Escalet caught the ball and the game was over.
"Roberto thought he caught it but threw it in when he thought the umpires called it a hit," Skonezney said. "This was a good game for us to win against and good hitting team and one of the best teams in Pennsylvania."
Norristown manager Vince Elsier saw the play a different way.
"I saw white. Why would the guy come up throwing with two outs if he caught it," Elsier said. "The men in blue have to step up and make the right call and not pick and choose.
"We didn't deserve to win, but we had a puncher's chance and it was taken away."
Norristown will return today to face Brunswick at 10 a.m. at New Cumberland with the winner advancing to the finals.
"We need to play better and protect the pitcher," Elsier said. "We have to come back and win that morning game, and that is the problem. If we get by that game, we will win two more ball games."
Brunswick showed why there was nothing fictional about the national championship moniker it earned in Indianapolis, Ind., last August.
For The Patriot-News
Jim Skonezney's Penbrook Pirates have put together a well-rounded team in this year's edition of the East Shore Twilight Firecracker Tournament.
Friday, it was ace pitcher Bryan Pittinger answering the bell leading his team to a pair of victories.
Yesterday, it was a combination of great defense, timely hitting and a spot of controversy that got the job done.
The end result was the same. Two more victories and a 4-0 mark put Skonezney's team in today's finals, which kicks off 1 p.m. at New Cumberland.
The victims yesterday were fellow East Shore representative Dauphin in the opener and perennial power and 2004 champion Norristown.
"We had the total package during this tournament," Skonezney said. "It has been a team effort. Everyone has contributed."
It shows in the boxscore.
Against Dauphin, Matt Wagner hurled a 77-pitch complete game allowing five hits and striking out two.
The offense was, once again, highlighted by Scott Otstot, who continued his most valuable player pace with a 3-for-3 effort that included four RBIs.
Things didn't come as easily against Norristown.
Penbrook amassed a 3-0 lead before the A's battled back with a run in the second and two more in the third.
Arturo Figueroa gave Penbrook a 4-3 advantage in the fifth when he smacked a single to left that plated Mike Orndorff.
The lead increased to 7-3 when Norristown had two uncharacteristic errors in the top of the seventh.
Norristown had one run across and loaded the bases in its final at bat with Penbrook pitcher Cory Meyers trying to finish his complete game.
A's first baseman Mark Roth launched a ball to right and a charging Roberto Escalet dove to make the play.
Two Norristown runners crossed the plate, but the runs were waved off by the field umpire who said Escalet caught the ball and the game was over.
"Roberto thought he caught it but threw it in when he thought the umpires called it a hit," Skonezney said. "This was a good game for us to win against and good hitting team and one of the best teams in Pennsylvania."
Norristown manager Vince Elsier saw the play a different way.
"I saw white. Why would the guy come up throwing with two outs if he caught it," Elsier said. "The men in blue have to step up and make the right call and not pick and choose.
"We didn't deserve to win, but we had a puncher's chance and it was taken away."
Norristown will return today to face Brunswick at 10 a.m. at New Cumberland with the winner advancing to the finals.
"We need to play better and protect the pitcher," Elsier said. "We have to come back and win that morning game, and that is the problem. If we get by that game, we will win two more ball games."
Brunswick showed why there was nothing fictional about the national championship moniker it earned in Indianapolis, Ind., last August.
Disputed call helps Mechanicsburg
May 30, 2004
Monday, May 31, 2004
BY DUSTIN DOPIRAK
If someone took a stroll on the sidewalk along Penbrook's Twilight Field after Mechanicsburg's game against Norristown yesterday, he would have heard several versions of what happened when Norristown center fielder Matt Altieri hit his line drive beyond the right-field fence in the fifth inning.
Some say it hit the fair pole. Some say it hit off the hill to the right of the fence. Still others say it hit a pole that stands beyond the fence, which may or may not be considered fair territory.
But only one version mattered yesterday, and it was the home plate umpire's. He called the ball foul, helping Mechanicsburg seal a 1-0 victory.
The win earned Mechanicsburg, the only undefeated team in the tournament at 4-0, a berth in the championship of the East Shore Twilight Memorial Day tournament today. Norristown will play Long Island at 10 a.m. today at Penbrook to determine Mechanicsburg's opponent. After losing to Norristown 6-3 early in the day, Long Island eliminated Penbrook with a 4-1 victory to advance to get a rematch in the losers' bracket.
Because the tournament is double elimination, the winner of that game would have to defeat Mechanicsburg at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. with both games at Penbrook. Mechanicsburg needs to win only one of the two games.
Mechanicsburg pitcher Eric Weltmer and Norristown hurler Brian Stumpf both turned in masterful performances in a stellar pitcher's duel in which neither allowed an earned run. The foul call was one of two major strokes of luck that decided the game, as Mechanicsburg scored its only run on a freak play.
With second baseman Erik Sauve on first base after a walk, Mechanicsburg first baseman Mike Gomez ripped a line drive to right field. Norristown right fielder Tony DeLude hustled over to get in front of the ball. However, as he slowed to field it, he lost his footing and fell, allowing the ball to pass him and Sauve to score.
Altieri's deep fly came with a runner on in the fifth, and would have given Norristown a 2-1 lead had it been ruled fair. However, on the next pitch after the foul ball, Altieri grounded into a tailor-made 6-4-3 double play.
Norristown coach Vince Elsier argued the call after the play, and continued to rip into the umpire after the game.
"The ball hit metal," he said. "I heard it. Take a look out there and tell me what there is that's metal to hit other than the fair pole."
Weltmer kept Norristown from getting any other opportunities the rest of the way, allowing just one hit, a single, in the next two innings. No Norristown runner reached third base in the game, and only three got to second. Weltmer scattered six hits, walked one batter and struck out one in the complete-game shutout.
"My fastball was pretty lively today and I had a couple of my off-speed pitches working," he said. "I thought I was moving it in and out pretty good and I felt like I had good command."
Weltmer's is one of a string of brilliant pitching performances for Mechanicsburg. Bucky Kosyk shut out Baltimore Presstman 7-0 earlier in the day and Ryan Dalton shut out Enola 4-0 on Saturday. Weltmer allowed Mechanicsburg's only run of the tournament in the sixth inning of a 4-1 win over Moosic Saturday after Travis Miller tossed five innings of shutout ball.
"We've had four super ballgames as far as pitching is concerned," Mechanicsburg coach Bill Rickenbach said. "I couldn't ask for anything more."
And as for that foul ball, well, Mechanicsburg doesn't have a version of the story.
"I'm more than 70 years old," Rickenbach said. "I can't see that far. I'm lucky I can find my keys on the bench."
Said Weltmer: "The umpire called it foul. That's all I'm saying."
BY DUSTIN DOPIRAK
If someone took a stroll on the sidewalk along Penbrook's Twilight Field after Mechanicsburg's game against Norristown yesterday, he would have heard several versions of what happened when Norristown center fielder Matt Altieri hit his line drive beyond the right-field fence in the fifth inning.
Some say it hit the fair pole. Some say it hit off the hill to the right of the fence. Still others say it hit a pole that stands beyond the fence, which may or may not be considered fair territory.
But only one version mattered yesterday, and it was the home plate umpire's. He called the ball foul, helping Mechanicsburg seal a 1-0 victory.
The win earned Mechanicsburg, the only undefeated team in the tournament at 4-0, a berth in the championship of the East Shore Twilight Memorial Day tournament today. Norristown will play Long Island at 10 a.m. today at Penbrook to determine Mechanicsburg's opponent. After losing to Norristown 6-3 early in the day, Long Island eliminated Penbrook with a 4-1 victory to advance to get a rematch in the losers' bracket.
Because the tournament is double elimination, the winner of that game would have to defeat Mechanicsburg at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. with both games at Penbrook. Mechanicsburg needs to win only one of the two games.
Mechanicsburg pitcher Eric Weltmer and Norristown hurler Brian Stumpf both turned in masterful performances in a stellar pitcher's duel in which neither allowed an earned run. The foul call was one of two major strokes of luck that decided the game, as Mechanicsburg scored its only run on a freak play.
With second baseman Erik Sauve on first base after a walk, Mechanicsburg first baseman Mike Gomez ripped a line drive to right field. Norristown right fielder Tony DeLude hustled over to get in front of the ball. However, as he slowed to field it, he lost his footing and fell, allowing the ball to pass him and Sauve to score.
Altieri's deep fly came with a runner on in the fifth, and would have given Norristown a 2-1 lead had it been ruled fair. However, on the next pitch after the foul ball, Altieri grounded into a tailor-made 6-4-3 double play.
Norristown coach Vince Elsier argued the call after the play, and continued to rip into the umpire after the game.
"The ball hit metal," he said. "I heard it. Take a look out there and tell me what there is that's metal to hit other than the fair pole."
Weltmer kept Norristown from getting any other opportunities the rest of the way, allowing just one hit, a single, in the next two innings. No Norristown runner reached third base in the game, and only three got to second. Weltmer scattered six hits, walked one batter and struck out one in the complete-game shutout.
"My fastball was pretty lively today and I had a couple of my off-speed pitches working," he said. "I thought I was moving it in and out pretty good and I felt like I had good command."
Weltmer's is one of a string of brilliant pitching performances for Mechanicsburg. Bucky Kosyk shut out Baltimore Presstman 7-0 earlier in the day and Ryan Dalton shut out Enola 4-0 on Saturday. Weltmer allowed Mechanicsburg's only run of the tournament in the sixth inning of a 4-1 win over Moosic Saturday after Travis Miller tossed five innings of shutout ball.
"We've had four super ballgames as far as pitching is concerned," Mechanicsburg coach Bill Rickenbach said. "I couldn't ask for anything more."
And as for that foul ball, well, Mechanicsburg doesn't have a version of the story.
"I'm more than 70 years old," Rickenbach said. "I can't see that far. I'm lucky I can find my keys on the bench."
Said Weltmer: "The umpire called it foul. That's all I'm saying."
A's Take Holiday Tourney
A's Take Holiday Tourney
By: JASON SHANDLER , Times Herald Staff 07/07/2004
HARRISBURG - Vince Elsier has been taking the Norristown A's to Harrisburg for 15 years now.
Never has he seen a series of pitching performances like the ones he saw last weekend.
The A's, behind five brilliant starting pitching efforts and an MVP performance from Kris Doiron, breezed to a Firecracker Tournament championship last weekend in Harrisburg.
Norristown won all five games that it played in the tourney, including a title-clinching 2-0 victory over Mechanicsburg on Monday. It was the third time that the Perky League giants won the Firecracker Tournament, which is an annual event that brings in the best semi-pro baseball teams from the East Coast.
The A's also won in 1997 and 2000.
"It was without a doubt the best pitching that I've seen since I've been going up there," said Elsier, Norristown's manager. "The pitching, from everyone, was just great. All of our guys have success in metal bat leagues, so when teams are trying to hit us with a wooden bat, it makes it that much harder.
"To go undefeated up there is phenomenal."
Against Mechanicsburg in the finals Norristown received a superb outing from Bill Zalewski, a former King's College star. Zalewski struck out six and allowed only two hits in his complete game effort. He used a tricky curveball to keep most of the Mechanicsburg hitters off stride.
Matt Altieri, who had eight hits in the tourney, and Javier Barreto each had RBI singles, all that the A's would need.
Zalewski almost never had a chance to be the hero, as the A's were two outs away from elimination in Sunday's semifinals. Trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, Norristown scored twice with one out to nip Lawnton, 2-1.
Andy Srebrowski tied it against Lawnton ace Mike Schuman with a run-scoring single and then Doiron ended things in dramatic fashion with an RBI single to right. Doiron, who no longer plays in the Perky League, went 7-for-16 in the tourney and played an outstanding second base to earn Most Valuable Player honors.
Oh-by-the-way, Brian Stumpf hurled a one-hitter in the Norristown win.
"Guys like Kris asked me to go to this tournament," Elsier said. "They just love baseball. I'll never tell a player like him or Mike Zwanch they can't play. They're too good a players."
Zwanch was the catalyst in Norristown's second game, throwing a 3-hitter and striking out 10 in a 2-1 win over Throgs Neck (N.Y.). Zwanch plays for the Plymouth Pirates in the Perky League.
His Pirates teammate, Gregg Mellott, mastered Brunswick (Md.) in the quarters with a 2-hit gem. Mellott used a deceptive knuckleball to blank Brunswick, a nationally-ranked semi-pro team, 4-0.
Game 1 belonged to hurler Tommy Bloom, who allowed only four hits in a 5-2 victory over New Cumberland.
Mark Brockell also played a steady third base and Joe D'Orazio had a couple of timely hits in the weekend games.
"We played great defense and had spectacular pitching. That was the difference," Elsier said.
By: JASON SHANDLER , Times Herald Staff 07/07/2004
HARRISBURG - Vince Elsier has been taking the Norristown A's to Harrisburg for 15 years now.
Never has he seen a series of pitching performances like the ones he saw last weekend.
The A's, behind five brilliant starting pitching efforts and an MVP performance from Kris Doiron, breezed to a Firecracker Tournament championship last weekend in Harrisburg.
Norristown won all five games that it played in the tourney, including a title-clinching 2-0 victory over Mechanicsburg on Monday. It was the third time that the Perky League giants won the Firecracker Tournament, which is an annual event that brings in the best semi-pro baseball teams from the East Coast.
The A's also won in 1997 and 2000.
"It was without a doubt the best pitching that I've seen since I've been going up there," said Elsier, Norristown's manager. "The pitching, from everyone, was just great. All of our guys have success in metal bat leagues, so when teams are trying to hit us with a wooden bat, it makes it that much harder.
"To go undefeated up there is phenomenal."
Against Mechanicsburg in the finals Norristown received a superb outing from Bill Zalewski, a former King's College star. Zalewski struck out six and allowed only two hits in his complete game effort. He used a tricky curveball to keep most of the Mechanicsburg hitters off stride.
Matt Altieri, who had eight hits in the tourney, and Javier Barreto each had RBI singles, all that the A's would need.
Zalewski almost never had a chance to be the hero, as the A's were two outs away from elimination in Sunday's semifinals. Trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, Norristown scored twice with one out to nip Lawnton, 2-1.
Andy Srebrowski tied it against Lawnton ace Mike Schuman with a run-scoring single and then Doiron ended things in dramatic fashion with an RBI single to right. Doiron, who no longer plays in the Perky League, went 7-for-16 in the tourney and played an outstanding second base to earn Most Valuable Player honors.
Oh-by-the-way, Brian Stumpf hurled a one-hitter in the Norristown win.
"Guys like Kris asked me to go to this tournament," Elsier said. "They just love baseball. I'll never tell a player like him or Mike Zwanch they can't play. They're too good a players."
Zwanch was the catalyst in Norristown's second game, throwing a 3-hitter and striking out 10 in a 2-1 win over Throgs Neck (N.Y.). Zwanch plays for the Plymouth Pirates in the Perky League.
His Pirates teammate, Gregg Mellott, mastered Brunswick (Md.) in the quarters with a 2-hit gem. Mellott used a deceptive knuckleball to blank Brunswick, a nationally-ranked semi-pro team, 4-0.
Game 1 belonged to hurler Tommy Bloom, who allowed only four hits in a 5-2 victory over New Cumberland.
Mark Brockell also played a steady third base and Joe D'Orazio had a couple of timely hits in the weekend games.
"We played great defense and had spectacular pitching. That was the difference," Elsier said.
LONG ISLAND 12, NORRISTOWN 2
New York team finally wins Memorial Day tournament
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
BY JEREMY ELLIOTT
For The Patriot-News
It was bound to happen sooner or later.
For years, Mike Leiderman's Long Island Storm made a lasting impression in the annual Memorial Day Twilight Tournament. And, for years, the powerful hitting team would go home without a championship.
In many cases it was faulty pitching, and on a rare occasion the bats would go cold in crucial situations. He made sure that didn't happen this time.
The Storm put it all together for three consecutive days and topped it with a spectacular display of hitting and pitching in a 12-2 championship-game rout of a talented Norristown team.
"This was a more experienced team this time," Leiderman said. "There is a lot of talent, and I think the pitching is the best I've ever had at this tournament.
"It was good. These guys were really focused and stepped up."
The Storm went a combined 16-for-35 in the title tilt. The team amassed 34 runs in their last three games while giving up only 12 runs in six tournament games.
"I could flip this lineup around any day," Leiderman said. "Some days, the No. 9 hitter bats fourth. There are no set positions because it really doesn't matter."
Norristown found that to be true early on yesterday. Vinny Colosunno started the game with a walk. Santiago Henry followed with a questionable blast down the right-field line that seemed to slice foul. It was ruled a home run, and the Storm was up 2-0.
"That was clearly a foul ball," A's manager Vince Elsier said. "That was a horrible call."
The Storm made sure it wasn't the determining factor.
With his team leading 3-0 in the top of the fourth, No. 8 hitter Edwin Gonzalez lined an RBI single to center that started a four-run inning. Pat Crosby, Colosunno and Henry followed with RBI singles off A's starter Brian Stumpf.
"I think that really broke their back," Leiderman said. "He was throwing good pitches on the outside corner, but the guys just went with it and hit them to left and center field. That is tough for a pitcher."
The Storm added five runs in the seventh inning on four straight hits from the middle of the order. The big blow was a double by No. 5 hitter Christene Rojas that plated two.
It was all Storm pitcher Kevin Garis needed. He gave up two earned runs on six hits while striking out three in a complete game.
Elsier, who will move to Florida in February for retirement, was impressed with the batting practice off his team's pitching.
"They hit the hell out of the ball," Elsier said. "This is one of the best hitting teams I've seen. But we had a great tournament and I'm happy with the way the guys played. It was a good time."
New York team finally wins Memorial Day tournament
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
BY JEREMY ELLIOTT
For The Patriot-News
It was bound to happen sooner or later.
For years, Mike Leiderman's Long Island Storm made a lasting impression in the annual Memorial Day Twilight Tournament. And, for years, the powerful hitting team would go home without a championship.
In many cases it was faulty pitching, and on a rare occasion the bats would go cold in crucial situations. He made sure that didn't happen this time.
The Storm put it all together for three consecutive days and topped it with a spectacular display of hitting and pitching in a 12-2 championship-game rout of a talented Norristown team.
"This was a more experienced team this time," Leiderman said. "There is a lot of talent, and I think the pitching is the best I've ever had at this tournament.
"It was good. These guys were really focused and stepped up."
The Storm went a combined 16-for-35 in the title tilt. The team amassed 34 runs in their last three games while giving up only 12 runs in six tournament games.
"I could flip this lineup around any day," Leiderman said. "Some days, the No. 9 hitter bats fourth. There are no set positions because it really doesn't matter."
Norristown found that to be true early on yesterday. Vinny Colosunno started the game with a walk. Santiago Henry followed with a questionable blast down the right-field line that seemed to slice foul. It was ruled a home run, and the Storm was up 2-0.
"That was clearly a foul ball," A's manager Vince Elsier said. "That was a horrible call."
The Storm made sure it wasn't the determining factor.
With his team leading 3-0 in the top of the fourth, No. 8 hitter Edwin Gonzalez lined an RBI single to center that started a four-run inning. Pat Crosby, Colosunno and Henry followed with RBI singles off A's starter Brian Stumpf.
"I think that really broke their back," Leiderman said. "He was throwing good pitches on the outside corner, but the guys just went with it and hit them to left and center field. That is tough for a pitcher."
The Storm added five runs in the seventh inning on four straight hits from the middle of the order. The big blow was a double by No. 5 hitter Christene Rojas that plated two.
It was all Storm pitcher Kevin Garis needed. He gave up two earned runs on six hits while striking out three in a complete game.
Elsier, who will move to Florida in February for retirement, was impressed with the batting practice off his team's pitching.
"They hit the hell out of the ball," Elsier said. "This is one of the best hitting teams I've seen. But we had a great tournament and I'm happy with the way the guys played. It was a good time."
White Sox, A's renew rivalry in finals
By:DAVE KURTZ , Times Herald Staff 08/10/2004
NORTH WALES - It's the Perky League's version of the legendary Hatfield-McCoy feud.
Perennial powerhouses Collegeville and Norristown have taken their share of potshots at each other over the last 25 years.
And while the rivalry has never sparked the kind of unabated violence or hatred seen among the moonshine stills in the mountains of Tennessee, there's certainly no love lost between the two, long-time antagonists.
Tonight (7 p.m.) at Nor-Gwyn's Ben Hostelley Field in the opener of the best-of-five Perky championship series, the White Sox and A's will load up their shotguns and face off once more for all the hardware.
It should be about as amicable as the reunion of two jilted lovers. Expect the feathers and the barbs to fly like baseballs at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
"We had one good game with them this year, the other two were blowouts," said Collegeville manager Bob Letter, whose second-seeded White Sox reached the finals with a three-game semifinal sweep of Plymouth. "When you have two laughers like that, it's hard to have any kind of fun. Those kind of games just breed resentment."
After beating the A's 3-2 in a taut, tense pitcher's duel early in the season (May 26), the heat was turned up when the defending champion White Sox absorbed a 12-0 beating before handing the A's an 11-1 shellacking.
Add into the mix Collegeville's 3-2 final series conquest of Norristown in 2003, and there's plenty of fuel for the fire.
"I think there's animosity from certain players on the Collegeville team at our whole baseball team," said Norristown manager Vince Elsier. "A lot of it has been generated by the media. But we don't dislike their team. We respect their team and their coach."
Don't expect any bulletin board material from Elsier. But the fact that the White Sox ended the A's record run of championships at seven last season can't sit well with the veteran Norristown skipper.
"It is a large motivating factor for me, but I don't know how big a part I'll actually play in the games," said Elsier. "We have four or five new players this year, so they probably don't care that much."
Apathy has never played much of a role in this series. Since Norristown returned to the league in 1980, the two teams have met eight times in the championship series.
There were six such meetings in the 80s - played before record crowds upwards of 5,000 - with Collegeville winning in 1981, '83, '84, '87 and '88 and the A's taking the title in '85. All six of those series went four games in a best-of-five format. Since then, Norristown swept the White Sox in 1997 before last season's turnaround.
"That's pretty much ancient history," said Letter. "Outside of (veteran) Freddie (Faison), I don't think anyone remembers that.
"The tradition is nice, but you have to throw that out the window. This is a new best-of-5 series. The team that plays the best is going to win. But this is pretty much what the fans of the Perky League wanted to see."
There's no denying the renewal of the old rivalry should generate heightened interest in the league.
All five games will be played under the lights at Nor-Gwyn's Hostelley Field, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Games 1 through 3 are set for Wednesday through Friday evenings, with Norristown serving as the home team in the odd-numbered games. Barring any weather problems, Game 4, if necessary, will be played Sunday evening. If the series goes the distance, Game 5 would then be Monday night.
"Our pitchers have been throwing the ball well and we've gotten some timely hitting," said Letter. "Ryan Hatfield and Tom Szilli have been hitting home runs and the rest of the guys have been chipping in."
The White Sox will also be buoyed by the return of electric shortstop Ian Hauze, who spent most of the summer playing in a collegiate wooden bat circuit.
"He means a lot to the middle of our lineup, the middle of our infield," said Letter of Hauze. "Our pitchers can relax when they throw ground balls, knowing there's a good chance we can turn a double play.
"Ian is a complete player. He can lay down bunts, steal bases, hit and hit for power. He'll be a nice addition."
Hauze's presence in the Collegeville lineup will be a big plus on both sides of the ball, but the series could hinge on the effectiveness of the White Sox's rubber-armed right-hander, Jared Lenko.
"He beat us three times last year (twice in the finals)," said Elsier. "He's a tremendous pitcher. Right now, our major concern is beating (Game 1 starter) Derek Major. If we lose tonight, we'll be behind the eight-ball with Lenko pitching Game 2."
Here's a brief look at the series:
HOW THEY ARRIVED: The top-seeded A's, who finished 24-3 to win the regular season crown, have blown through their quarterfinal and semifinal series, outscoring overmatched Trooper and Harleysville by a combined 56-9 count in posting a pair of three-game sweeps. The second-seeded White Sox, 21-6 during the regular season, have taken the scenic route to the finals. Collegeville dropped the first two games of its quarterfinal series with Lansdale, but came back to win in five before dispatching of Plymouth in three straight, two of the wins coming in extra innings.
THE ROTATIONS: Norristown will start either 2004 Perky Pitcher of the Year Bill Zalewski or Chris Eddy in Game 1, with the other hurler going in Game 2. Left-handed ace Rob Kell will return from a business engagement to start Game 3 for the A's. The left-handed Major, the 2003 Perky Pitcher of the Year, will get the nod in Game 1, with right-handers Lenko and Tom Raniszewski following in Games 2 and 3, respectively.
THE PREDICTION: Norristown has too many arms for Collegeville. The A's will win in five games.
©The Times Herald 2004
NORTH WALES - It's the Perky League's version of the legendary Hatfield-McCoy feud.
Perennial powerhouses Collegeville and Norristown have taken their share of potshots at each other over the last 25 years.
And while the rivalry has never sparked the kind of unabated violence or hatred seen among the moonshine stills in the mountains of Tennessee, there's certainly no love lost between the two, long-time antagonists.
Tonight (7 p.m.) at Nor-Gwyn's Ben Hostelley Field in the opener of the best-of-five Perky championship series, the White Sox and A's will load up their shotguns and face off once more for all the hardware.
It should be about as amicable as the reunion of two jilted lovers. Expect the feathers and the barbs to fly like baseballs at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
"We had one good game with them this year, the other two were blowouts," said Collegeville manager Bob Letter, whose second-seeded White Sox reached the finals with a three-game semifinal sweep of Plymouth. "When you have two laughers like that, it's hard to have any kind of fun. Those kind of games just breed resentment."
After beating the A's 3-2 in a taut, tense pitcher's duel early in the season (May 26), the heat was turned up when the defending champion White Sox absorbed a 12-0 beating before handing the A's an 11-1 shellacking.
Add into the mix Collegeville's 3-2 final series conquest of Norristown in 2003, and there's plenty of fuel for the fire.
"I think there's animosity from certain players on the Collegeville team at our whole baseball team," said Norristown manager Vince Elsier. "A lot of it has been generated by the media. But we don't dislike their team. We respect their team and their coach."
Don't expect any bulletin board material from Elsier. But the fact that the White Sox ended the A's record run of championships at seven last season can't sit well with the veteran Norristown skipper.
"It is a large motivating factor for me, but I don't know how big a part I'll actually play in the games," said Elsier. "We have four or five new players this year, so they probably don't care that much."
Apathy has never played much of a role in this series. Since Norristown returned to the league in 1980, the two teams have met eight times in the championship series.
There were six such meetings in the 80s - played before record crowds upwards of 5,000 - with Collegeville winning in 1981, '83, '84, '87 and '88 and the A's taking the title in '85. All six of those series went four games in a best-of-five format. Since then, Norristown swept the White Sox in 1997 before last season's turnaround.
"That's pretty much ancient history," said Letter. "Outside of (veteran) Freddie (Faison), I don't think anyone remembers that.
"The tradition is nice, but you have to throw that out the window. This is a new best-of-5 series. The team that plays the best is going to win. But this is pretty much what the fans of the Perky League wanted to see."
There's no denying the renewal of the old rivalry should generate heightened interest in the league.
All five games will be played under the lights at Nor-Gwyn's Hostelley Field, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Games 1 through 3 are set for Wednesday through Friday evenings, with Norristown serving as the home team in the odd-numbered games. Barring any weather problems, Game 4, if necessary, will be played Sunday evening. If the series goes the distance, Game 5 would then be Monday night.
"Our pitchers have been throwing the ball well and we've gotten some timely hitting," said Letter. "Ryan Hatfield and Tom Szilli have been hitting home runs and the rest of the guys have been chipping in."
The White Sox will also be buoyed by the return of electric shortstop Ian Hauze, who spent most of the summer playing in a collegiate wooden bat circuit.
"He means a lot to the middle of our lineup, the middle of our infield," said Letter of Hauze. "Our pitchers can relax when they throw ground balls, knowing there's a good chance we can turn a double play.
"Ian is a complete player. He can lay down bunts, steal bases, hit and hit for power. He'll be a nice addition."
Hauze's presence in the Collegeville lineup will be a big plus on both sides of the ball, but the series could hinge on the effectiveness of the White Sox's rubber-armed right-hander, Jared Lenko.
"He beat us three times last year (twice in the finals)," said Elsier. "He's a tremendous pitcher. Right now, our major concern is beating (Game 1 starter) Derek Major. If we lose tonight, we'll be behind the eight-ball with Lenko pitching Game 2."
Here's a brief look at the series:
HOW THEY ARRIVED: The top-seeded A's, who finished 24-3 to win the regular season crown, have blown through their quarterfinal and semifinal series, outscoring overmatched Trooper and Harleysville by a combined 56-9 count in posting a pair of three-game sweeps. The second-seeded White Sox, 21-6 during the regular season, have taken the scenic route to the finals. Collegeville dropped the first two games of its quarterfinal series with Lansdale, but came back to win in five before dispatching of Plymouth in three straight, two of the wins coming in extra innings.
THE ROTATIONS: Norristown will start either 2004 Perky Pitcher of the Year Bill Zalewski or Chris Eddy in Game 1, with the other hurler going in Game 2. Left-handed ace Rob Kell will return from a business engagement to start Game 3 for the A's. The left-handed Major, the 2003 Perky Pitcher of the Year, will get the nod in Game 1, with right-handers Lenko and Tom Raniszewski following in Games 2 and 3, respectively.
THE PREDICTION: Norristown has too many arms for Collegeville. The A's will win in five games.
©The Times Herald 2004
Monday, May 30, 2005
BY JEREMY ELLIOTT
For The Patriot-News
When the Long Island Storm and the Norristown A's converge on the midstate for twilight tournament play, fans flock to see these two teams put on a hitting display.
Balls fly out of the park. Runs are manufactured. Local baseball faithful shake their collective heads at the raw power.
This year, they've gotten a double treat.
Long Island and Norristown won two games apiece yesterday on the strength of great pitching and timely hitting to distance themselves from the field in the Memorial Day Twilight Tournament.
The two teams have 4-0 records in round-robin play and have already qualified for today's 4 p.m. final at Mechanicsburg despite the fact that each has another game this morning.
"Pitching is always important in tournaments like this," Storm manager Mike Leiderman said. "Some guys can't always make this trip, but this year, we have plenty of arms."
They needed only one in their first game against Lawnton.
It took Chris McCoy a mere 72 pitches to dispose of the hometown club 2-0. His devastating sinker forced ground ball after ground ball, as he scattered four hits in the outing.
"My pitches were working real well today," McCoy said. "My catcher called a good game and everything worked out."
Said Leiderman, "He is one of our aces. I think when he gets on the mound, the guys let up a little and don't score runs because they think he will throw a shutout."
The Storm locked up a finals berth with a surprisingly difficult 12-5, eight-inning decision over a scrappy Penbrook club.
After Penbrook tied the game in the seventh on an RBI by Robin Summey, the Storm put the game away in the extra frame on a six-hit, eight-run outburst. Christene Rojas delivered the big blow with a two-run double.
Norristown started its day with a 6-2 victory over host New Cumberland
Mike Zwanch backed up his stellar relief effort against Enola Saturday by allowing only four hits and two earned runs. He also had 11 strikeouts and 10 walks.
Matt Sperling provided the offense, going 2-for-3 and smacking a pair of RBIs.
Sperling's day was far from over.
In a battle of unbeatens, Sperling baffled Mechanicsburg hitters by changing speeds in a 7-2 win. He scattered seven hits and struck out seven in the 85-pitch complete game.
"We play in a good hitting league," said A's manager Vince Elsier of the Perkiomen Twilight League. "Last year, we had an ERA under two using metal bats, so we definitely have good pitching.
"Mike and Matt are very good. And we are able to bail guys out with good leather."
The A's built a sizable lead in the fourth when they batted around and hung a six spot on four hits. They added an extra run in the sixth on an RBI by Sperling.
"These guys get along and play hard for each other," Elsier said. "These guys want to be here. We just come to have fun and get at-bats."
Something they, as well as Long Island, have little trouble doing.
BY JEREMY ELLIOTT
For The Patriot-News
When the Long Island Storm and the Norristown A's converge on the midstate for twilight tournament play, fans flock to see these two teams put on a hitting display.
Balls fly out of the park. Runs are manufactured. Local baseball faithful shake their collective heads at the raw power.
This year, they've gotten a double treat.
Long Island and Norristown won two games apiece yesterday on the strength of great pitching and timely hitting to distance themselves from the field in the Memorial Day Twilight Tournament.
The two teams have 4-0 records in round-robin play and have already qualified for today's 4 p.m. final at Mechanicsburg despite the fact that each has another game this morning.
"Pitching is always important in tournaments like this," Storm manager Mike Leiderman said. "Some guys can't always make this trip, but this year, we have plenty of arms."
They needed only one in their first game against Lawnton.
It took Chris McCoy a mere 72 pitches to dispose of the hometown club 2-0. His devastating sinker forced ground ball after ground ball, as he scattered four hits in the outing.
"My pitches were working real well today," McCoy said. "My catcher called a good game and everything worked out."
Said Leiderman, "He is one of our aces. I think when he gets on the mound, the guys let up a little and don't score runs because they think he will throw a shutout."
The Storm locked up a finals berth with a surprisingly difficult 12-5, eight-inning decision over a scrappy Penbrook club.
After Penbrook tied the game in the seventh on an RBI by Robin Summey, the Storm put the game away in the extra frame on a six-hit, eight-run outburst. Christene Rojas delivered the big blow with a two-run double.
Norristown started its day with a 6-2 victory over host New Cumberland
Mike Zwanch backed up his stellar relief effort against Enola Saturday by allowing only four hits and two earned runs. He also had 11 strikeouts and 10 walks.
Matt Sperling provided the offense, going 2-for-3 and smacking a pair of RBIs.
Sperling's day was far from over.
In a battle of unbeatens, Sperling baffled Mechanicsburg hitters by changing speeds in a 7-2 win. He scattered seven hits and struck out seven in the 85-pitch complete game.
"We play in a good hitting league," said A's manager Vince Elsier of the Perkiomen Twilight League. "Last year, we had an ERA under two using metal bats, so we definitely have good pitching.
"Mike and Matt are very good. And we are able to bail guys out with good leather."
The A's built a sizable lead in the fourth when they batted around and hung a six spot on four hits. They added an extra run in the sixth on an RBI by Sperling.
"These guys get along and play hard for each other," Elsier said. "These guys want to be here. We just come to have fun and get at-bats."
Something they, as well as Long Island, have little trouble doing.
